Deeds Undone
by Mike256bit
Summary: The world is at peace. The Crystals are safe. Yet the fate of Arcadia is still not secure. What shocking discoveries will Vyse and his companions uncover that will forever change the rules of history? What will Vyse discover about his girls?
1. Prologue : The Silver Girl

The world is at peace. The Crystals are safe. Yet the fate of Arcadia is still not secure. What shocking discoveries will Vyse and his companions uncover that will forever change the rules of history? Furthermore, what will it take for Fina, Aika and Vyse to come to terms with what they already know?

**Deeds Undone**

A _Skies of Arcadia_ epic by Mike256bit

Notes: I caved! I said to myself that I was done with epics based on fandoms, but I couldn't help it. The allure of _Skies of Arcadia_ (and the limited fiction involved) has brought me back for one last run. This is post-game, continuation, with slight alterations to the storyline. Original characters for development only, I swear. I'm going to try posting it on the fly since I'm trying to tackle a lot of original works. Let's see how this baby plays.

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to the Arcadian worlds or characters used herein.

--

Prologue

"**The Silver Girl"**

A young boy in Nasr, shirtless and sweating under the noonday heat, sat down with a sigh. The days were growing long as the sun beat down on the desert sands, hot winds bringing not the relief of a gentle breeze but often the harsh sting of flying silica. He put his hand to his forehead to shield his eyes, watching his people bustle to keep the newly rebuilt capital moving. A new palace was rising in the distance, shops had returned with grandeur not previously known, and best of all, the inn where he worked had seen a flourish of business as people came and went in the hopes of seeing Vyse the Legend.

He chuckled; the sheer notion that a hero such as he would return to Nasr was laughable to the residents of the Red City. Of course, there was once a time when the young, boyish pirate (now _surely_ a man by any standard) would frequent the port for supplies only the desert city could offer. The youth, probably sixteen or seventeen, had never himself seen the rogue, but tales of his exploits were well known.

You simply can't go anywhere without hearing about the man who saved the world.

The boy, carrying vittles from the bar back to the inn for the demanding patrons, bent down to pick up his haversack. Grunting, he passed the ivory fountain, the cool spray of wayward water droplet dotting his bare skin a welcome relief from the relentless heat. It was certainly getting hotter – not even the natives could deny that. He had heard from Maramba that on one especially sweltering day, the sand had become too blistering for even the Dhabus. Hundreds of years of evolution were finally bested by a surge in the average temperature.

He stopped to put the sack down for a third time, having to sit as the sun's rays beat upon his back and neck. He walked back to the fountain and splashed his face a few times, tempted to jump in despite the armed guards (two of them) protecting the precious water from being contaminated by a populations' worth of sweat and dirt. They glanced at him, but as he as of yet did nothing wrong, said nothing. The boy reached down for one more splash, knowing well that a third would press his luck with his two companions, and thought about the boom his family's business had taken. He was actually fairly confident that every port the world over was experiencing a similar influx of tourism. Vyse's exploits were inspiring, and there were many who wanted to best the nearly unbelievable tales that followed the Blue Rogues. The youth included, actually, but he had a business to help with.

As he looked up, clearing his eyes of pure, clean water, his breath was suddenly stolen away as a vision in white captured his gaze. Alabaster skin, ivory wears, and a stunningly scintillating bracelet caught his eye from across the fountain. He watched, transfixed, as a slender girl passed by, a small pack slung ever her shoulder, held by a strap snugly looped around two thin fingers. She flashed him a quick smile as he could not help but stare, but she was soon making her way toward the exit. He watched her go, her dress swishing as she walked, belted at her waist with brown leather. Her boots clacked on the slate and her hair fluttered from under her blue skullcap. Her arms swung gingerly, loose fitting cloth wrapped around her wrists. She was shimmering, skin dotted with fine beads of perspiration that made her glow.

Before he knew it, the girl had disappeared from the city proper, and he was left alone with his two guards (who had also taken an interest). He just whistled, shaking his head sadly as he was sure his dehydration had rendered for him a beautiful mirage.

Though, that "mirage" was the sole reason the hopeful tourist would never see Vyse the Legend. Fina, the Blue Rogue, did all the shopping.

-o-

In the Nasr port the Delphinus' docking craft waited. Aika had grown tired of talking to the traders and could no longer hide in the shadows from the baking sunlight. She sat under a tent (feeling incubated more than she did refreshed) waiting for Fina to return. She irritably flipped a stray lock of her hair from her shoulder, the dry heat making her tresses impossible to manage, and leaving her skin super-sensitive to the light touch of red thread. She pulled out her single ponytail and retied it, making great pains to capture every last hair. Satisfied, she put her cheek in her gloved hand, her elbow resting on her bare knee. She idly played with the buckles on her boots before she was interrupted by the entrance of a shadow.

"About time, Fina," she began, looking up to find a starling surprise. "Oh, Gilder! What are you doing here?" She grinned as she leapt up and at him, hugging him fiercely. Immediately he gagged and gently shoved her off, too proud to take off his coat and succumb the sizzling climate.

"Just stopped by for a business meeting" he replied, grinning back at her. Above all else, Gilder was a fan of his newest allies in piracy. As such, he rarely missed a chance to hound them for food, drink, or simply their company. And more than that, of course, he was always a fan of Aika's moxie and spirit – she often put a smile on his face.

And boy was he glad to not see her hair done up like a damned scarecrow.

"Business, eh?" she responded coolly, giving him a very knowing glance. "I didn't know Nasr's brothel was up and running."

"Well, I don't know why you would, since they aren't hiring," he quipped back, met with a hurtful pout. "Okay, fine. How about I just pay you under the table?"

"Gilder!" She playfully slapped his arm as he backed away with a chuckle. There. See? Smiling. "You louse, don't you call me a slut or I'll slice you in two." She nodded to the boomerang strapped to her back. "Got me?"

"Got it. What're you doing here, missy? Vyse run out of people to fight or something?" She looked away, crossing her arms under her chest. Gilder noticed. "We're also here on 'business,'" she said. "Very private business." He shrugged and walked to the stairs, waving over his shoulder.

"Sure, I get it. Have it your way, Aika."

She grinned at him, sticking her tongue out as he disappeared up the terrace. "Jerk." She sighed, trying to will the blush away from her face. It was covert, and while he had plainly seen her plumping up her bosom, he hadn't noticed the slight redness on her face. _As if._

Aika wasn't going to admit that she was almost flattered by his jocular offer. Aside from having eyes for another, she was more afraid of what Clara would do to her. At the thought, she shuddered a little, the pink-bombshell too smitten to cross. Besides, Aika didn't like him like _that._

No, really.

Shortly after Gilder disappeared into the city, Fina appeared on the other side of the stairway, absentmindedly heading for dock. Aika whistled, running up to meet her as she stepped into the floating boat. "What took you?" Aika said, huffing as she put her fists to her hips.

Fina shrugged innocently, putting her sack under the console. "What?"

"It was supposed to be in and out! You were in Nasr for, like, twenty minutes!"

As if to her defense, Cupil suddenly unraveled from Fina's wrist, rising up to float above her shoulder. "I was? I'm sorry, Aika, I just got caught up." She smiled weakly as the redhead climbed into the boat. Aika glared at the back of her head for a moment before she spoke.

"_I_ know what you were doing. _You_ were talking to the bartender again, weren't you?"

Fina spun around, bewildered. "I was not!"

Aika grinned at her, cat-like eyes glimmering with insight. "Oh yes you were!"

". . . What if I was?" she replied, coolly turning back around.

"Because I know that ever since we worked there, we've had benefits." Fina didn't flinch as she reversed the thrust, backing out of the dock. "And I know _full well_ that you take advantage of said benefits whenever you can." They were lifting off and toward the darkness of a nearby reef, Fina quietly piloting. "Hand it over, Fina."

"Oh, fine," she murmured, kicking the sack back toward her partner in crime. Aika eagerly fished through the satchel and pulled out a green bottle, reading the label with a smirk.

"It's supposed to be really good. Triple-distillation!"

Aika chuckled as she uncorked the bottle, taking a hard swig of the liquor. She winced, swallowing a mouthful. "_Man_ that burns!I like it." She closed up the bottle and replaced it, grinning at Fina. "When did you become such a lush, anyway?"

Fina blushed a little as they came under the safe shadow of the Delphinus' bow. "Um, about the same time I became a pirate." Aika threw her arm around the Silvite's shoulder and laughed as the two of them prepared for docking.

"You learn fast!" Fina glanced over and grinned softly. "You must have great 'instructors.'"

"The best."

Aboard the Delphinus, Lawrence was at the helm while his captain was away in the depths of the ship. He stood quietly on standby, looking out through the glass at the rocky barriers surrounding their location. As soon as Aika's voice came over the comm. and gave him the heads up, they were to depart for Crescent Isle where he could take up his brooding.

It wasn't that Lawrence wasn't social. Every man has their motivations. For this one, no amount of jovial conversation, idle chit-chat or even the frequent celebrations could divert him from him goals. As his bank account slowly fattened up, Lawrence did as he was paid. As he'd often said to Vyse, he was not being paid to talk and didn't have much to say to the captain, anyway. While Vyse didn't like it, he respected it.

"Ahoy, Lawrence! The drop-ship is locked! Prepare to set sail for home!" Lawrence nodded to no one in particular, pulling the accelerator, sending the signal for half speed down to the engine room. Quietly, he said, "Aye aye." Slowly, the ship crept away from the city, and as he pushed forward on the altimeter, the Delphinus rose above the clouds and into blue sky.

Down below, Polly was busy serving a fresh drink to the two girls who'd just come aboard. Fina winked at Aika as they put the liquid back, prepared to add the new bottle to their private collection in the Crescent Isle headquarters. After all, a new acquisition deserved another celebration. The girls took a seat at one of the tables, finishing their liquor as the cabin door opened and Captain Vyse stepped in.

"Hey girls," he said with a short wave. They smiled and waved back as he walked toward them, taking a seat next to Aika. He was looking cheerful. "Success, I take it?"

"Yes!" Fina replied cheerfully, placing the satchel on the table between them.

"They took the trade?" Vyse replied, a faint sense of disbelief in his tone and etched on his face.

"Yeah, unless Fina offered something _else,_" Aika quipped.

"Hey!" she replied, blushing. "What are you suggesting?"

"Gosh, I was kidding. . ."

Vyse chuckled, taking the sack and undoing the tie. He pulled down the cloth and revealed the prize within, a dull golden luster speaking back to him. "Wow, you did get it. . ." He picked up the medallion, no larger than his fist, and turned it over under the watchful eye of his Skyseer goggle. The glass flashed a faded pink color before returning to normal, a grin of satisfaction appearing on his face. "It's the real deal. Good job, girls!"

"Wait, Vyse," Aika said, grabbing his arm before he could put it back. "What is it?" He looked down at his hand for a moment before he turned his eyes up to hers. His gaze startled her a little, a misty cloud of deception stirring about his face.

"It's a map," he finally said.

"A map?" the girls replied.

"That's right." He tied up the satchel.

"Wait, to where?" Fina asked, exchanging a confused glance with Aika. Vyse laughed, kicking his feet up. "Vyse?"

"I have no idea. I don't know how to read it, I don't know where to start – all I know is that it's going to be a big score." Aika groaned, putting her head down. Fina was a bit more insistent. She tugged on his sleeve and repeated her question. He put a hand atop hers and smiled. "Relax, Fina."

"But, but I don't understand! How do we even know that there's going to be treasure? What if it turns into another Daccat fiasco? I . . . I don't want to get into something dangerous and not have a reward." She shook her head. "Wait, no, that's not what I mean—"

Vyse burst out in laughter once more. "Fina, that's perfect! You're _really_ starting to think like a Blue Rogue!" She watched him for a few seconds, aware that his hand was still atop hers, and fought down a crimson glow. She rolled her eyes to the side, conceding to the truth: everyday, more and more of her thoughts were turning to treasure, adventure, and booze. Worse still, his touch was turning her thoughts to something more.

Aika lifted her head with a sigh, punching Vyse in the arm. "Way to go. You sent us out to meet cut-throats for a bobble that may actually lead us to our death. Nice." He flinched and shrugged it off, releasing Fina's hand.

"Alright, alright. We can talk about this later. Still, we deserve a celebration. Even if this medallion turns out to be bogus, we at least have the satisfaction of unloading some useless items for what can be considered, in itself, a big treasure."

"Yeah, I guess," Aika replied reluctantly.

"It's okay, Aika," Fina said quietly. "I was okay. They didn't give me any trouble at all." The redhead looked at her, rubbing her chin. "Really!"

"I dunno," she said. "I'm a little worried, Vyse. I mean, if this little thing is a big deal in the underworld, what if they come after us for shafting them?" Vyse shrugged, rising to his feet as Domingo's voice announced their arrival at Crescent Isle.

"Really, girls, just relax. We've beaten Baltor. We've beaten the Valuan Empire. Hell, we've beaten Gigas! What do we have to be afraid of? I trust you two – we can handle it." He winked as he turned, making way for the bridge. Aika sighed happily, spirits lifted by his inspiration. She followed, scratching her head.

"He's got a point."

Fina rose too, but didn't go after them. Concerned, she glanced out a nearby porthole, watching the blue mist disappear as they closed in on their home. Vyse's words rang in the back of her mind as she went to Polly to get another drink. To herself, she considered the weight of his confidence.

"Maybe that's what we should fear," she concluded, leaning against the wall. As the ship descended to enter the island, Fina hugged her arms tightly as a chill came over her. Polly silently slid a shot her way, which she happily put back, the warmth of the alcohol fighting an unidentifiable coldness that was invading her.

"Oh, Vyse," she moaned quietly. "I hope you're right."

-o-

Night had fallen and the red light of the moon had taken over the city of Nasr. Joyous spurts of laughter erupted frequently from the tavern as sailors deigning to stay the night in the city were eager to drown in the liquor that made the region famous. Most were already deep in the embrace of inebriation and sang proudly of their states of mind, while others chose to go quietly in the night. Even from the inn, the youth who had toiled all day, resting in his quarters, could hear the racket the raucous miscreants rose. He turned over, covering his head with a pillow, unable to sleep due to both noise and heat. Nights were traditionally cool out here, but for at least the last month the norm had been changing.

Another explosion of guffaws roused him from his bed as he went to the window to inspect his city. Few roamed the streets, the soft yellow light from the tavern practically the only illumination offered to the main square. The red moon disappeared behind the clouds often, peeking out like a blinking eye every now and then. The boy sighed, pulling on a pair of olive linen pants, decided to perhaps get a drink himself.

He left his room on the first floor and made his way for the lock box, easily navigating the darkened parlor by memory. He stepped around an ottoman and over a pillow, ducking down behind the counter to open the safe and grab a little gold. The inn currently filled to capacity, he wasn't worried about anyone coming in and looking for a place to stay.

Suddenly, there was the scrape of a boot on the stairs, footfalls descending the sandstone. The boy was still, holding his breath as at least two more people joined the original footsteps.

"Do you have it?" a gruff voice asked, taking a seat on one of the vacant chairs.

"Yes," a woman responded. The boy was tempted to peek out, but held his place. No amount of sexual curiosity could pull him from the inexplicable fear that was surrounding him. "I'm not sure you're going to like it, sir."

There was a shuffle of cloth. "Oh? Tell me more."

"Unfortunately, sir, the items we received in the barter were all defective."

"Defective?"

"Aye. The gold is real enough, but the pyrulen boxes, crystalen boxes, and the sacrulen crystals are either used or only have one charge." The chair shifted and fell backwards.

"What!" A clatter of objects fell to the floor.

"Aye sir, and the blade. . ." There was an exchange of metal and the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn from a scabbard swam around the room. The gruff voice swore, the hollow clatter of the scabbard hitting the floor followed shortly by the whistle of a blade though the air. The counter cracked as it was penetrated, the sharp tip of a sword ripping through the wood next to the boy. He bit back a gasp, his heart racing as he watching the blade's tip vibrate in the dull light.

"How could you fuckers do this?" the man asked calmly. "The _keystone _of the deal was the Vorlik blade, and you give me _this?_"

"With all due respect, we . . . we don't know what it looks like. The girl seemed honest enough—"

"Why were you dealing with a fucking cunt! Vyse, in case you weren't aware, is a man. I'll ask you again. How the _fuck_ did you let this happen?" There was a pause before another voice piped up; it was soft, but most likely male.

"The girl, sir . . . she was _hypnotic._"

"Hypnotic."

"Aye," the woman said. "She was dressed in white, but she was definitely a Blue Rogue. She said she knew Vyse personally. She was very diplomatic—"

"I don't care if she dropped down and blew you. I want her dead." The sword was sudden drawn from the cabinet, whistling in the air. It stopped short, a small cry coming from the soft-voiced male. "Idiot," the gruff one spat.

The voice hissed in pain. "S-sir, my arm—"

"Shut up. I want her _dead, _understand? And I want that blade. Fuck, you know what? I want them _all_ dead. Vyse is human before he's a legend, and humans can perish." The door crashed as it was kicked open, the light from outside casting strange shadows on the wall. The boy watched them fearfully, a slender feminine frame and a short, boxy one flanking an almost amorphous shape.

"Aye, sir," the woman quietly replied. "We'll get them." The door closed with a groan, the light from the street and the shadows no more.

It took at least ten minutes before the boy was able to stand. He looked over the counter where a large open pack and a few gold coins sat on the stony floor. The chair by the stairs was overturned, and a dark blotch that was surely blood marked the ground. Taking deep breaths, the youth cautiously went to the door where the bolt had splintered from duress. Just to the side, near the jamb, he saw the very same blade that had nearly run him through lying on the ground.

He didn't open the door, but knew just as well that the trio was out lurking. Much more, he knew that the vision he'd seen earlier that day was suddenly in danger. Slowly gathering his wits about him, he reached down and grabbed the cutlass, examining it in the limited illumination. He used his free hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, his dark forearm equally as slick with perspiration. Though, even in the warmth, it was freezing cold.

He looked back to the counter and ran to it, grabbing the cashbox. He stuffed it into the sack after emptying it of the useless magic boxes and replaced the sword into its scabbard. He pulled a loose shirt around his torso and shouldered the sack before he made away into the night, resolving to protect the nameless angel with whom he'd fallen in love.

To be Continued


	2. Chapter One : Misdirected

All previous notes apply.

Chapter notes: Well, I have my girl to thank for convincing me to take another look at this and do some considerable rewriting. It's hard to take your medicine, sometimes, but I appreciate the wake up call.

-o-

Chapter One

**"Misdirected"**

Evenings on Crescent Isle were typically a blast. With the threat of Valua trying to conquer the world no longer heavy on the shoulders of fresh-faced kids who'd never before been far from their home, the new state of the world was light, airy, and there was never a doubt about tomorrow. As they began to lose their fear, there was always talk about the future and there was always a reason to celebrate.

Naturally, and with a brand new bottle of alcohol in their possession, the trio was holed up in their headquarters, ready to clink glasses. The golden medallion that Fina had unfettered from the shady contact in Nasrad sat on the cartographic table, positioned squarely atop the compass setting marked in the middle of the map. All over the world were dishes of steaming food; the numbers growing as the island's residents slowly filled the candle-lit room. Polly and Urala stayed busy in the dining quarters until the crew, save for a few well-known loaners and a few children, were all packed in the gorgeous office.

Lawrence elected to brood down below the island with the clatter of Hans and Brabham adjusting and tuning the ship keeping his thoughts company. Similarly, Belle and Khazim were tuning the guns, while Lilly and Nara were attempted to sneak into the party to get a shot of booze and a look at Vyse. Usually, the sharp eyes of Domingo caught them before they made it past the gates of the elevator. He typically spent time looking at the maps, even during the festivities, documenting Vyse's discoveries to the minutest detail and he rarely took a break from his duties; except, of course, to stop underage girls in their tracks.

Meanwhile, the full cast of pirates had assembled in the room by now, the spread ready for picking. As drinks were passed around, glasses, goblets and chalices filled with liquids ranging from emerald green to crimson red to even midnight hues of black; beverages both heavy with foam, tingling with sparkling carbonation and all with the bite of ethanol; as the bottles passes around the room, Vyse raised his hand high.

"Blue Rogues, it has been an honor to be your captain," he said as the chatter died down. "Ever since the fall of the old Valuan Empire, it's as if our community has been growing in both size and spirit. Our village, once a pile of ash, has been rebuilt into the stunning display of teamwork and unity." He grinned, nodding around the room to visiting members and loyal crewmembers alike, faces both aged and youthful smiling back at him.

"Every day, I see faces come and go. But I know that no matter how far away my crew may be, no matter where across the face of Arcadia, we're still together in heart." He turned to Ilchymis and Ryu Kan, who typically did not visit their parties. With Osman restocking her shop, however, their communal area was a bit of a mess – not to mention that she had a knack for complaining _loudly_ when things were out of place. "It's especially good to know how all that's been achieved could never have come about without every one of you." Aika and Fina, who stood to his right, just quietly giggled. After all, it was the same speech every time. And as such, they were able to mouth along with Vyse's signature ending.

"And so," he continued, seeing the eager hunger and thirst on the faces of his crew, "I'd like to thank you all. Let's drink." He sucked back his half-filled goblet in one gulp, as a resounding cheer erupted from the crew.

"Horray!"

And as it did with every celebration, the party quickly broke into a fluttering of conversation, with Aika, Fina and Vyse at the very center, an excited exchange about past and present building between them. And as was practically customary, Aika took the opportunity to critique her captain's words.

"Honestly, Vyse, you might be inspiring but you really need some new material," Aika teased, poking him in the chest. He took a seat, kicking his feet up next to a bowl of turnips that currently occupied Yafutoma. He chuckled, pouring himself some water from a tall, sweating pitcher. He wiped his hand on his pant leg, leaving a wet palm print.

"Give me a break, Aika. Let's call it tradition."

"I don't know, Vyse," Fina said with a smile, "maybe you need an abridged version." Aika sat down next to him with a snicker, reaching for a handful of golden-fried potato slices – which Polly cutely termed "crisps" – from a bowl that took up the entire Valuan continent. "I'm just kidding, of course. Vyse, you know we love your speech." He smiled and she grinned back, hiding her face behind her chalice.

"Of course we do, Vyse," Aika said softly. "Besides, sometimes you say 'Let's get really drunk.'"

"Hey, I only say _that_ on birthdays."

Aika looked at the calendar. She would be 18 in four months.

"Besides," Vyse continued, sipping at his water. "Tonight is pretty special. We have a map to decipher and Fina gets to tell us about her adventures in Nasrad." Fina nearly choked, swallowing a heavy gulp. Vyse smirked at her as he got up, reaching across the Dark Rift for a plate of sirloin. He forked a cut and brought it to his mouth, taking large bites from the succulent meat. Aika tried to steal a chomp but he was too quick, pulling his fork far to his left. She muttered something darkly before reaching for her own.

"I really don't have much to tell," Fina said quietly.

"Oh come on!" Aika cried. "Every time we even start to tease you, you clam up." She rubbed her chin, wiping specks of potato from her face. "You're hiding something."

"I am _not,_" she said adamantly. "Besides, Aika, I should ask _you_ about what you said to Gilder." The redhead stopped, mid-bite, looking to Vyse with a guilty shrug. Relieved to be excused from the spotlight, Fina just sank back in her chair.

"What?" Aika asked casually.

"I saw him on the stairs just as I was leaving. You were blushing," Fina giggled.

"We just said hello. What are you tryin' to say?" She looked between her companions, battling between a knowing grin and an inquisitive one. Rather than feed the fire, she decided on a different approach. "Vyse," she suddenly whined, "Fina's piiiickin' on me!" The three of them shared another laugh as the girls exchanged playful words about what one might do if caught alone with the captain of the _Claudia_. Vyse tried to defend him, but he knew that they were, for the most part, very right. It didn't take long before he grew a little ill.

"Okay, gals, that's enough." Fina covertly winked at Aika, who simply smiled and shook her head. "The less I have to imagine Gilder naked, the better."

"Yeah, otherwise Clara might have to gut you for trying to steal her man." Vyse gave Aika's shoulder a mischievous little shove, causing her to stumble to the side. "Hey! Geeze, Vyse, I think someone has a crush!"

"Okay, that's enough outta you!" Vyse grinned, seizing her steak. She gasped, trying to take it back, but he quickly devoured the meat and with a satisfied sigh, returned to her an empty fork. Quietly, the redhead sulked.

"Jerk. . ."

Meanwhile, Fina had stood and began walking over to the end of the table. The two other pirates looked up, watching at she made tracks away from them. "Fina?" Aika called, standing up. "Where're you goin'?" She grabbed a talano fruit (indigenous to the island and rather delicious) from a platter that was just around Ixa'taka, looking over her shoulder to stick out her tongue.

"I'll be back, guy, don't worry. I just need some air."

Aika huffed as footsteps came toward them. "Man, she's turning into _such _a pirate." Vyse shrugged, hailing Ilchymis as he came upon them.

"I do wanna talk about the trade, though," Vyse said as the chemist pulled up a chair, as well as a plate of green and blue haibus leaves picked fresh from his private garden. He set his vittles down just over the Land of Ice, reaching for the pitcher of water next to the medallion.

"Indeed, Vyse, that is quite a hunk of metal you picked up," he said, pouring himself a fresh glass. He drew a pouch of powder from his sleeve and sprinkled a pinch into the liquid. Before their eyes, clear became an opaque blue. Vyse was about to inquire, by Aika slapped him hard on the shoulder.

"So, Vyse! What exactly did you trade? I know you told us to salvage some used magic boxes, but I can't imagine that anyone would want _those_ in exchange to a map, even if it is to nowhere. I mean, even by itself, the things gotta be worth, like, at least a thousand." She snapped her ungloved fingers. "We could finally buy some new shells for the Moon Cannon. We're running low on ammunition since that last scuffle with that . . . that _thing_ down near the Artic." She shivered, the spidery, spindly, floating _object_ making her skin crawl. Man, that thing was creepy.

"Yeah, we really need to stop fighting those. They're thinner than my dad's patience. Anyway, you had a question." Aika nodded.

"The trade, yeah."

"Well," Vyse began, placing his drink of the very edge of the world. "Remember when we stopped by Sailor's Island about a week ago, looking for some fresh short-range cannons? Well, I wanted to talk to the Guild Master to see if there was any news about uncharted discoveries, and I saw this." Fishing around in his sleeve, he produced a tattered parchment and handed it to his friend. "It was posted right next to the desk." Aika grabbed it and unfurled the paper, clearing her throat.

"Barter: Looking for Vorlik Blade and magical boxes," Aika read, her brow furrowing. "Have for trade a ne'er-before-seen map to unspeakable riches." Aika slowly glanced it over a second time, dropping it back in his lap. "Are you serious?"

"I asked the Guild Master and he said it was put up by some young woman. He didn't get a good look at her, but he had reservations about her – namely, that she didn't look like an upstanding citizen, if you catch what I mean."

"Yeah, but, Vyse, they _named_ it. They _know_ you have the Vorlik blade."

Vyse shrugged. "Well, it's not like it's a huge secret."

Aika scoffed, taking a draught from his goblet. "This is screaming 'underworld,' Vyse. That posting was clearly meant for you. And I saw you practicing your swordplay on the _Del_. You didn't give them the blade."

Vyse grinned. "That's very true."

Aika frowned as she sat once more, curling her knees up to her chest. "This seems reckless, even for you."

"Oh, relax! Look, don't think I didn't plan it out, because I sorta did. One," he said, holding up a finger. "To try and get my blade means they either have something worth a trade and they know who I am or they don't and they're being duped. Giving them a fake blade ensures that either they're stupid enough to take a mockery and we capture a great find, or they're lying and the map is useless. Right now, I'm betting on stupidity." He raised a second finger.

"Two. If I had gone, I'd risk running into a trap and I didn't want to have a sword swiped from me by pickpockets. For all I knew, the posting was just to rouse me out of my normal trade routes. After all, we don't visit Nasrad that much anymore, and with the restoration, it'd been too risky to get lost. Sending Fina would practically guarantee that no one would get the drop on her, especially since not many recognize her, anymore. This way, she makes it to the legitimate trade and can discern for herself if it's the real deal.

"Finally, I figured that both of you could take out a girl if you had to. But as we see, whoever it was took the sword, we have the map, and we're sitting safely on Crescent Isle." The redhead took a few silent breaths before she gave up trying to counter his logic.

"Well, you're right. No matter how flimsy that was, we do have a map."

"Honestly Aika," he said, elbowing her, "we're risk takers!"

"I guess . . . and, hey, even if they do come after us, we can take 'em, right?"

"That's the spirit, partner."

"So," Ilchymis finally interjected, "have you tried to decipher it, yet?"

Vyse shook his head, standing up to retrieve the medallion. He turned it over in his hand a few times, giving it an examination beyond the check for magical seals. He'd already done that with his goggle (a neat little trick he'd had Ilchymis add to its normal magnification). It was about three inches in diameter, and nearly half an inch tall. The edges had long since rounded away, and dark brown cracks and fissures rode in all manner of patterns along the underside. On the top sat a raised circle, with a thin, broken and chipped circumference creating a jagged loop on the very edge. In the middle sat a silver arrow, surrounded by strange, barely legible markings. On the side were three equidistantly placed holes, suggesting a trick that was yet to be found. Vyse tried sticking one of Urala's chopsticks in there before Aika slapped the utensil out of his hand.

"Hey!"

"Dope, what if you break it?" He ignored her, turning the medallion right-side up, looking at the map that spread out before him. He looked between the two, smiling as he set the piece down on the table, next to a shallow dish of pickles.

"Of course. The arrow is a bearing."

"Of course? What do you mean, 'of course'?" Aika asked as he rotated the medallion to point north. So far, nothing had happened. "Yeah, 'of course.' Vyse, for someone who's solved the puzzles of Rixis, Moonstone Mountain and Daccat's Island, this is disappointing. Look at those hoses – there's got to be a way to activate it, right? Maybe we need a spell?"

"Nah, I already checked for magic. This thing is purely mechanical."

Soon, they'd begun to draw the rest of the crew. As Vyse and Aika bantered back and forth about where to put the medallion, suggestions began to arise from the gallery that surrounded them.

"Put it on Crescent Isle!" Kirala yelled, reaching for some more rice wine.

"Yeah, Vyse, if this deal was for you, then maybe they know about our home."

"Oh, stop being so paranoid. Besides, we'd have seen someone trying to take a bearing from the island." He moved it over just to prove his point, having to displace a basket of fresh wheat bread.

"What about Shrine Island?" Robinson asked. "Everyone knows where that is. Or even Sailor's Island!" Vyse tried both, matching the compass bearing each time. The food on the table shifted twice more.

"Nothing special. I don't think we're approaching this right."

"Yafutoma!"

"No, Valua!"

"What? Try—"

"Guys!" Vyse shouted, as a deafening din grew from practically no where. "Just settle down, okay? I'm not going to put this thing all over the map just for kicks. There's got to be a key on here that tells us where it goes."

Irritation growing and patience sinking with his newfound project, Vyse plucked the golden object from the tableau and inspected it again, trying to ignore that Aika had a cruel grin on her face. He gave it one more magical reading, just to be sure, but could not detect a lock or activation spell.

His lens went black for a moment, causing him to reel back in surprise as he could no longer see. He blinked, but the split-second darkness was already gone. In fact, most of the crew had also lost interest and had returned to mingling, preferring not to invest in the broken bauble. He was about to mention the strangeness to his partner when she decided to poke him in the nose, instead.

"Looks like you lose, Vyse."

"Lay off, Aika. . . at least I didn't give up the Vorlik blade for it."

"Yeah, that's true. I gotta wonder what exactly they were trying to play you for with this piece of scrap." Vyse shrugged, putting the piece back down on the compass marking. Curious, Ilchymis picked it up, feeling it carefully.

"Do you mind if I try, Vyse?" he asked. The captain turned, shrugging.

"Oh, no, go ahead." The chemist nodded and set to work, his fingers gliding over the surface of the medallion as he settled into thought. Vyse watched him for a moment, a little dumbfounded by the care he was taking, before Aika grabbed him by the arm. "What?" he asked, surprised.

"Have you seen Fina?"

"Uh. . ."

"I guess not," Aika replied, rubbing her head. "Where did she disappear to?"

"She probably just went outside for some air. You know she gets a little moody when we tease her, and you know she's a lightweight." Smirking at him, eyes sparkling with awareness, she nodded.

"You're slurring, Vyse."

"No I'm not," he over-enunciated, trying to make it clear that he was still in charge of his facilities. "I've only had one drink. Besides, it's a party."

As the two chatted, Ryu Kan was suddenly upon them, giving the pair a smile. His aged face hid the glimmer of youthful knowledge that was telling him more and more about his captain and his cohorts, and as Vyse and Aika playfully exchanged jabs about each others liquor tolerance, he bad them a good evening.

"Are you going back down to the mainland?" Vyse asked, giving the elder a pat on the back.

"Yes, I've had my fill for tonight. Mind walking me to the door, boy?" Vyse nodded absently and followed Ryu Kan, water in hand. While she was not named, Aika saw no harm in tagging along – even when the door shut behind the two, leaving the redhead to try and block out the party so that she could listen.

"I overheard you talking about the Vorlik blade, Vyse," he began, staring out at the red moon that hung in the distance over Nasr. "And I started thinking." Vyse rubbed his eye – maybe Aika was right.

"Thinking about what?"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, you found two chunks of Velorium, did you not?" Vyse nodded. "I'm old, but my heart still beats young, boy. After crafting for you the finest blade I'd ever created, I said I could make no other thing as close to perfection." With a soft smile, he looked to Vyse. "I'm willing to try again."

"Really? But the Vorlik has served me like no other sword. I'd really rather not part with it." The elder chuckled, walking toward the incline. He pulled a lever set in the stone, causing the elevator to activate. A hum and a steady clanking noise filled the air, making him shout a little.

"I know. I could never create another blade so fine. However, blades are not where I am limited. If you give me that second Velorium, I'd like to try to craft a new weapon. Something this world has not yet seen."

A thought came upon Vyse.

"Hey, that's a good idea. Perhaps Fina could use a weapon other than Cupil."

Ryu Kan smiled, his elevator having arrived, noises having ceased. "Perhaps." He waved, disappearing as the hum returned and suddenly dropped in pitch, the clank of metal supports returning as he descended toward the basecamp. Vyse turned, tipping his head back, imbibing the last drops of liquid before he opened the door left ajar (that he'd sworn he'd shut), and sank back into the waiting party.

At the flagpole, Fina sat, perched on the fence with the sound of still waters being unsettled by the occasional sleepless fish penetrating the otherwise silent night. She thought she heard the elevator, but didn't turn to investigate, instead staring off into the night sky. She could see three moons from where she chose to pondered, red, silver and yellow present in the sky. The shadows were soft and the edges were undefined, creating optical illusions of depth and space across the ground and across the clouds in the sky.

A second glance out to the abyss caused her a moment of concern. A small shadow emerged from below the island and sped across the low flying clouds. Fina followed as it seemed to get smaller, disappearing as it raced away into the distance. She closed her eyes, trying to listen, but whatever she had seen was gone, or was in fact never there. She blinked a couple times, thoughts instead turning to the party.

She hadn't really left to get some air, although the fresh breeze helped to cool her skin. She was a little dizzy, but she could still think straight. Fina just wanted a moment to collect her wandering feelings – the trade and Nasrad had been reticent to leave her mind alone. While she didn't do anything nearly of the caliber that Aika constantly suggested, it was something that made her wonder about herself. Blushing again, she cupped her face in her hands, sighing.

She looked behind her, seeing Ryu Kan walking into the darkness of the hillside, probably returning to his shop. Fina shook her head, trying to clear through a faint haze as Cupil, who for all this time had stayed quietly wrapped around her wrist, peeked up from his slumber. Nuzzling her hand, he made a few noises, at which she laughed merrily.

"Cupid, you're right." She put her hand behind it and pulled the little creature into a hug. "I don't know why I'm acting so strangely. I really should just tell them. Want to go back to the party?" Cupil chirped, causing Fina to laugh once more. She hopped off the fence and strode crookedly across the complex with her companion closely floating nearby as she made way for the headquarters, feeling a little bolder as an empty chalice sat on its side in the dewy grass.

The door to the room squeaked as Ilchymis suddenly shouted, drawing Vyse's attention. He gave up on trying to get a now-silent Aika to crack a smile and turned to the chemist as Fina, undetected, came to his side. Aika looked up as the room quieted down, having for the last four minutes been trapped in personal considerations that left her, at best, unresponsive.

"I've figured it out," the scientist proudly said, reaching for a bowl of chocolate pudding.

"Figured what out, sugar, that it's dessert time?" Polly asked, earning a round of chortles from the sailors by her sides. Ilchymis, grinning, overturned the medallion.

"Not quite, but I did figure out how our little map works." Vyse was about to inquire when the man in white dipped the medallion arrow-side down in the creamy treat.

"Hey!" he shouted, reaching for the gold. "Come on, Ichs, what game are you playing at?" Ignoring him, but giving him a courteous smile, Ilchymis set to work moving plates and bowls from his path, looking back and forth between the cartography and the now-flavored medallion. Vyse just watched, intrigued, as the chemist explained with lucid sobriety.

"I'm afraid that the arrow head on the top isn't quite what you thought it was, Vyse. Rather, it's these cracks on the back which should grab your interest." He held it above Pirate Isle, about an inch from the true glass table-top, slowly moving it over the map's surface and rotating the piece by a few degrees as he went. Soon, the medallion was hovering over Shrine Island, before Ilchymis shook his head, carrying it over to Nasr. Vyse was growing impatient, but before he could interrupt, the scientist exclaimed.

"Aha! Of, course. See, these 'cracks' are quite deceiving. Rather, they etched into medallion and stained, made to look like wear. In actuality, it's—"

"They're topographical. . ." Aika breathed, leaning in closely as Ilchymis finally set the medallion down over the very northwestern edge of Nasrad, where the coastal marks on the enlarged map bled into the medal, aligning perfectly. Vyse watched with his mouth agape as the chemist lifted the golden piece, a dark brown, sticky arrow left in its place on the surface.

"There's your bearing, captain." The arrow pointed upward, the uneven tip shakily piercing the North Dannel Strait. Vyse just began to chuckle, looking to Ilchymis with a wide grin. Soon, the excitement began to spread as animated talk erupted all through-out the headquarters. Fina watched the medallion carefully as Ilchymis wiped it clean with a napkin.

"Unbelievable," the Blue Rogues captain breathed. "Well!" He clasped his hands together, eyes roaming around the room. "My pirate crew, I believe we have ourselves an adventure at hand." A quick cheer came up as Vyse tried to bring them back to order. As their leader continued his rally, Fina backed away from the table and cried out when she bumped into Aika's chair. She practically fell into her friend's lap, but caught herself before she made a proper landing.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Aika." The redhead didn't reply, seemingly stuck in thought. Fina persisted, motioning to the table. "Isn't this thrilling? We might even set sail tomorrow!" Aika glanced up, almost surprised to see Fina there. She still didn't reply, however, mouth moving wordlessly. As the Silvite tipped her head in inquiry, Aika finally found her voice.

"Oh, um, right. Hey, I'm going to head down. I feel like turning in." She held up an empty glass. "Too much to drink, I think." Fina was about to protest, but as she too was feeling the mind-numbing effects of being soused, she couldn't quite think up a reason for her to stay.

"Um, okay," she said, watching Aika walk a rather steady line to the door. She disappeared without so much as looking back. Fina fell into the chair, still warm, looking around the room as slowly as she could manage. No matter how little she turned her head, though, the room spun as if it had a will of its own. Fina was starting to get a headache, and all of a sudden, the candles were burning very brightly.

Vyse's hand fell on her shoulder, startling her a bit. He looked down, all smiles, and said, "Fina! You're back. Did you see what Ichs did?"

"Oh, yes, it's rather exciting," she slurred, swallowing a bit as his hand tightened a little. "What did I miss?"

"Not a lot," he answered, taking a moment to scratch the underside of his chin. "Are you doing alright? You look like you've had too much. . ." Vyse knelt by her chair so that their eyes could be level. "Fina?" The girl just giggled, falling into him with her arms thrown around his neck.

Sighing in that way that carried both the exasperation of a parent but also the amusement of a friend, Vyse simply set her back in the chair, unwrapping her arms from around his neck. He could plainly smell the inebriation on her breath and watched as she began to take off her boots while she complained about the heat.

Of course, he didn't let her get passed the first hook on the buckle before he picked her up and escorted her out and onto the balcony, calling back to Ilchymis to follow. "What am I gonna do with you, Fina?" He looked back to the partiers, grinning faintly as they began to wind themselves down. Luckily, when the chemist was on hand, he has the foresight to bring some of his patent potions, those that did just the trick for the ill-effects of their merriment. Once outside, he handed Fina's shaky arm over, sharing a concerned glance with the other man.

"Get her to bed, okay, Ichs?"

"Of course, Vyse. Are you going to be able to quell the party?"

Vyse waved a hand at him. "Yeah, we'll be fine, don't worry. I'm going to make it last call and send them off to bed." He turned to Fina, who was starting to hiccup. Vyse tried to bite back a laugh, but the overt cartoonish cuteness of seeing Fina plastered was too much to bear. "And you listing to Ilchymis and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay, Vyse," she tried to say, getting lost on the way to the 'v'. He chuckled again, sending the two off, returning to the clamor of the celebration. Once the elevator returned he watched the pair descend from his place at the door, quietly bidding Fina one more good night.

He glanced back to the interior for a moment, observing his crew slowly sinking into the chairs and against walls. Practically everyone who'd ever served under his flag was in this room, striking up strange debates and sometimes breaking into gut-shaking laughter. Vyse gave his strange collection a smile before he realized, finally, that someone was missing.

-o-

Aika awoke with bright sunlight filtering in though the sparking glass of her window, covering her eyes as morning intruded and commanded her to rise. She groggily sat up from her bed, her comforter falling from her shoulder and a tangle of hair falling in front of her face. She stretched her arms above her head before she resigned to the call of her pillow, falling back with a low 'flumph'. She curled her hands up behind her, stuffing them beneath her pillow as she stared up at the ceiling. The sunlight that had roused her was now splashed across her bare skin, warming her face, chest and stomach. She slowly relaxed her squinting eyes, grateful as a shadow from a cloud blocked the cascade from blinding her further.

She was motionless for a while, thoughtfully tracing the patterns in the wooden beams above her with her wandering brown eyes. A dark stain caught her attention, probably evidence of a fire that had made its mark in the rings of the trees used to rebuild their quarters. She took a moment to sweep some tickling hair from her neck, looking down at her body that was exposed by the shifted cover. Aika put her palm on her stomach, running small circles over her fair skin with the tip of her finger. Cautiously, her hand began to rise, before a thump in the cabin next door derailed her train of thought.

Aika sighed, turning her head to the side to look at the picture of Vyse that sat on her bureau. The heat in her cheeks was fading, her heart still racing a little from being startled. Quietly, she thought about last night and the events that followed her down to the cabin. Not five minutes after she'd stripped down and slipped under the comforter, she heard dual footsteps leading past her room and toward Fina's. She remembered the quirky fear that had seized her at first: had Vyse and Fina had too much to drink? Would she have to hear that which was clearly the result of being too tipsy? Of course, with an embarrassed shake of the head, she determined, rightly, that Vyse (or someone) was leading Fina home, because as soon as her imagination began putting her friends into compromising positions, the second set of footsteps was retreating away from her quarters. She heard Fina say "good night" and the cabin door shut. Aika remembered trying to calm her racing heart, holding her hands up to her head as she had berated herself for being so silly as to think what she had thought.

Then again, she did overhear Vyse talking to Ryu Kan, and the suggestion that he'd have a weapon made for Fina and not for her kind of put her in a foul mood. Inexplicably, she decided for at least an hour or so that Vyse had chosen – as if a choice was there to be made.

"Yeah right," Aika muttered to herself as she turned over to her right side, curling up and staring at the wall. "I know better than that. I mean, I already have a weapon. It's perfectly reasonable to suggest that Fina use something other than Cupil." She sighed, closing her eyes.

"And now I feel like a jerk," she said aloud, turning onto her back once more. She opened her eyes and glanced down at her body again, frowning a little as she reached up to poke herself in the breast. "Stop it," she suddenly muttered, forcing her hand back down to her side. She sat up and reached to the floor for the wears she had on yesterday, swinging her slender legs over the edge of the mattress. She slipped on her black shorts and her arm bands before worming her way into her worn yellow dress. She belted up and strapped on her boots, reaching for the glove she'd tossed on the nightstand. Aika threw it onto the bed next to her as she plucked a brush from the now-open drawer. She quickly worked her hair into a straight cascade, loosely braiding her locks into pigtails. She strapped on her goggles, gloved her hand and stood up, her back cracking in three places. She breathed in a refreshing lungful of air and, just before she went for the door, blew a clandestine kiss to the photo of her oldest friend.

At just about the same time, Vyse's sleepy eyes fluttered open, the squeak of a door caught in his sensitive hearing. He sat up and ran a hand though his messy hair, glancing at his arm to find that he'd fallen asleep in his clothes once more. His memory slightly foggy, but for the most part intact, he was relieved to find that he'd woken up without a pounding migraine. He'd, luckily, not had as much to drink as Aika had suggested. Almost immediately, he tossed his comforter aside and was standing, remembering plainly that he'd not seen her leave the party last night. He quickly put his Skyseer goggle on his head, walking over to the door for the boots that had somehow made it across the room.

"I hope she's alright," he murmured, as if expecting an answer, tightening the buckle that was loose around his waist. After strapping up his boots, he opened the door, crying out as Aika attempted to knock on his face.

"Watch it!" he shouted, dodging the fist as she stumbled into the room. Vyse pushed the door shut as he helped her regain her balance, sitting her down on the bed. "You okay?" Aika nodded and looked away as he crossed his arms, watching her. He looked thoughtful, but held his tongue as the chirps of native birds took over their shared silence.

"Aika," he said suddenly, pausing as she spoke his name. They couldn't suppress the smiles that came over both their faces, but Vyse motioned for her to go on. "Um, you first."

"I wanted to apologize, you know? I wasn't all that much fun last night."

Vyse's smile broadened into a grin as he stuffed his hands into hidden pockets. "Ahem, that's, uh, quite fine. I don't exactly remember. . ." Aika gave him a suspicious glance but she was already feeling the urge to tease him bubbling up in her throat. "Besides, I should apologize if I made you uncomfortable."

"Oh," she breathed, "Vyse, you didn't! You can't shake me."

Laughing, Vyse nodded. "Good, I didn't count on it. Wanna get breakfast?"

Aika stood and stepped toward him hesitantly. His brow furrowed in question as she placed her hand on his chest, patting his heart with her bare hand. As he drifted past, she stealthily kissed his cheek and gave him a wink. He looked back at her, frozen with curiosity. "Sure do, captain. Thanks for the clean slate." She opened the door, leaving him alone in the room, his hand rubbing the skin her delicate lips had momentarily touched.

"Man, why does she keep doing that to me?" he muttered, stretching his back as he straightened his coat. Ever since _that_ night, before they had consigned themselves to the destruction of Galcian; the night where he'd both wrapped a comforting arm around Fina and felt the soft pressure of Aika's kiss upon his cheek; since that moonlit night, his redheaded companion figured she had _carte blanch _to confound his senses whenever she pleased. Often she did it with an almost sinister laugh and was sometimes just something that happened in the course of celebration, but every now and then he could swear he detected the glimmer of something else hidden in the split-second action.

Aika peeked her head back in, whistling to grab Vyse's attention. He turned, met with a smile, and followed her out into the warm sunlight. The smell of hot food was heavy in the air, Polly already rapidly preparing the day's menu. Just as the cedar door clicked shut, a latch across the deck opened, Fina's timid head poking out from her brightly lit room.

Just about ten minutes before, Fina was in subtle agony, her head pounding like a fierce wind trapped in fluttering sails. The pain bounced around her skull, causing her to toss under her comforter as the sounds of the outside world began to penetrate her restless slumber. She flung the quilt from her shoulders, revealing ruffled clothing draped loosely around her body. Her skirt had fallen down and was barely hugging her hips. Her sleeves had come undone and pooled around her wrists, leaving her forearms bare. Her blue top was pulled tight across her chest, accentuating curved skin. Her bandana was about her neck, her gorgeous hair loose and draped about her face. Fina rolled to the side one final time, eyes flying open as she plummeted to the floor. She landed sharply on the floor with a 'thump', having to bite back a cry of pain.

She rubbed her thigh, soothing away the ache in her backside as she wearily crawled to her feet, catching her skirt just before it fell to her ankles. She grabbed her belt from the headboard and quickly tightened her wears, groaning as the throbbing moved around her cranium. She blew a stray lock of hair from her cheek and very quietly performing _curia_ on herself, her aching pains dissolving almost immediately. She sighed in relief, finally able to think with a clear head, but also overcome with severe embarrassment that she could let herself get trapped in the grip of liquor. It was rare, sure, but what it happened, it _happened._

"Honesty, what are those two doing to me?" she asked impishly, untying her bandana from her neck and using it to tame her soft, blonde drapes. She gave a quick glance to Cupil, who was sleeping peacefully in the nearby chair, and pulled her sleeves up. Slipping into her footwear, she stood there in her room for a few moments before collapsing back onto the bed. She thought hard about the night that was still chasing her memory, scenes missing from her Technicolor recollection. She could plainly remember excusing herself to visit the flagpole where, at least for now, Vyse's design hung true. However, much that followed was lost to a haze, with only the vague suggestion of faces dancing in the mist. Vyse became Aika became Ilchymis became the unknown; a short cast of familiars preceding a longer collection of shadowy figures.

And the boat. . . She was almost certain about that. There was no doubt about the wooden vessel cutting through the miasma of the sky below the Island. She bit her lip, trying to push the image away, instead trying to figure out how she returned to her cabin. She certainly didn't recall walking and was almost certain that Vyse or Aika had to escort. She covered her mouth as a hotness crept up her neck. Knowing they'd seen her in such a state was a little humiliating.

No matter, she figured, rising her to feet once more. With a small sigh she walked toward the door, putting her hands on her stomach to try and soothe the hunger that was slowly building within. She opened the door slowly, peeking out to find Aika and Vyse emerging from his quarters. She smiled, excited to see them, and left her bedroom to accompany them to breakfast.

Enclosed in the warm tavern, Vyse and his companions settled down for one of Polly's stellar meals. Seated at the table nearest to the door, the three were taken into a strangely unique silence. Eyes wandered back and forth across the bench, meeting and unlocking, cast down and closed. Robinson watched them inquisitively, setting his bottle down and quietly thanking Polly for his meal when she came by. The two observed the trio with identical thoughts swimming in their experienced minds:

They'd finally done _it_.

Of course, despite the wisdom that comes with age (and with marriage), the chef and sailor had mistakenly pegged the uncommon silence as a result of a night of drunken mayhem, whereas it instead had to do, in part, with the lack thereof. Sort of. Vyse was still thinking about Aika's habit of catching his cheek off-guard, and was in another capacity concerned about Fina's slight overdrinking.

Aika's mind was annoyingly persistent in the idea of her two friends getting close without her, and even though she'd already confirmed that they had spent the night in their respective beds, she was in a small was unable to completely snuff the fear. Just the same, Fina had finally realized that Vyse and Aika had both emerged from one room. She finally broke the silence with a long yawn, her eyes tearing up a little as they screwed tight.

"Fina, you look like you had a rough night," Aika murmured with a grin.

Glancing at her with a faintly rosy glow hiding her face, the Silvite managed an innocent smile. Vyse gave the redhead a bit of a discerning glare and tugged on one of her braids. "Lay off, Aika." She yelped, rubbing her head and, with an equally dark glare, punched Vyse in the arm.

"It's okay, Vyse," Fina said. "She's right. If it weren't for you and Ilchymis, I might not have made it to my room." She laughed quietly. "Gosh, I'm so embarrassed."

"Wait, Ilchymis?" Aika questioned.

"Yeah," Vyse continued, "I had him take care of her while I wrapped up the party. What about you?" he asked. "When did you disappear?"

Before she could respond, three plates of food were set down before them. "Okay guys," Polly announced, "why don't ya take a break and dig in?"

"Sounds good to me," Aika replied, stuffing her face with egg as soon as her breakfast touched down. "Thanks, Pol'."

"You bet, sugar." She smiled and returned to the kitchen.

Suddenly, as Vyse was chewing on a pancake, he shot up in his seat. "That's right!" he said. "I forgot that I was going to meet Ryu Kan. I gotta run, girls. Meet me up in the office in about an hour, okay?" Blindsided, the pair just nodded as he swiveled around and rocked onto his feet, speeding out the door. The spring-loaded hinges slowly pulling it closed after he was gone. Blinking for a moment, Aika just shrugged and reached over to take his plate of food.

"What do you think that was about?" Fina asked.

"Oh, apparently Ryu Kan wants to make another weapon with the second piece of Velorium we picked up." She took a gulp of water, wiping at her mouth with the back of her glove. "Man, that is good pancake."

"A new weapon?" the Silvite inquired, taking small bites of her breakfast.

"Yeah. Didn't say what, though." Aika quickly pulled up her napkin and planted it on the table, already finished with her meal. Her hunger was deceptive; her appetite escaped as soon as she'd shoveled just half a plate of nourishment past her pallet. She sighed, looking out the window to watch the clouds drift by.

"Aika?" The girl in question turned her eyes to the side to look up at Fina. "Um, what were you and Vyse doing this morning?" She sat up, an odd grin sneaking onto her face.

"Doing?" she asked.

"You came out of his room . . ." For all her suspicions, Aika now felt like an utter tool. She couldn't help but laugh in that empathetic way, her previous concerns about her friends leaving her behind lost in knowing that Fina felt the same.

"Fina," she said softly, "nothing like _that_ happened. We were just talking!" She snapped her fingers, pushing their plates to the side and putting her hands on the table. "That's right, I nearly forgot. I wasn't very nice to _you_, either. I'm sorry."

Fina placed her palm atop Aika's gloved fingers, smiling faintly. "To tell you the truth, I don't really remember. But, while we're at it, I'm sorry for . . . you know."

"Fina!" Aika shouted, aghast, disquieting the girl. "_Never_ apologize for drinking. What kind of pirate are you?" Rolling her eyes with exasperation, she chucked her napkin across the table and into Aika's face.

"You!" she said, curtly, standing up. Aika plucked the cloth from her face, expecting to be met with a frown, but saw a wicked grin waiting for her. Fina began backing for the door and, at that moment, Aika knew the game was on. "We've got about half an hour before we're to meet Vyse," she said with nonchalance, hand on the door's handle.

Aika stood, watching her carefully, sidling around to the other side of a table. "You know what'll happen," she sang, wagging her finger with a toothy smile. With a shrill giggle, Fina suddenly fled the room, the door cracking on the hinges as she burst out into the camp. Aika left after her, harmonious laughter ringing throughout the village. Polly collected their plates, watching the two girls chase each other around the camp, engaged in a game of "tag." She chuckled while her husband came to her side to help with the dishes, as Aika nearly tackled her friend to the ground.

"I don't know about them, hon," she finally said. "But if they_ haven't_ done it, they're bound to." Robinson replied with a snicker, hand wrapped around Polly's plump hip.

"Yeah, but do you think Vyse will get the chance to join 'em?"

"Cute, darlin'." He grinned at her as they dumped the dinnerware into a basin of suds, hands meeting under the warm water. She leaned in to kiss his temple, a wet, slippery finger from her sparking hand riding up his arm. "Why don't you go lock the door? Urala's off for the day and I don't think we'll be serving any more people until lunch." Nodding, Robinson walked to the entrance and shut off the tavern from the outside world, where the click of a latch separated lovers from those yet to be.

To be Continued


	3. Chapter Two : A Rogue's Crisis

All previous notes apply

Chapter Two:  
"**A Rogue's Crisis"**

"Well, Vyse, I guess that says it all about your treasure hunt." The pirate in question sighed, leaning on the rail that hugged the deck. He put his chin in his palm, looking out into the darkness of Deep Sky. The _Delphinus_ was currently in the swirling Rift that guarded the North Dannel Strait, below the floor of clouds. To look up gave the strange feeling of an underwater world, where the blue depths surrounded them like a dense haze. The light filtered down through the double-clouds, while the below swirled like an endless void. The air was breathable but it was heavy, and tasted of acid and age. Around them, the bottoms of floating continents poked through the atmospheric ceiling. Most notable were the jagged, yellowed peaks of Valua, situated to the north, while the coppery stalactites under Nasrad hang to the south.

Just below the _Delphinus's_ bow was what remained of a small sunken island. It was shattered to pieces, with a huge, glowing moonstone still pulsing in the center of a giant crater. Vyse looked at it, mourning the loss of what could have been. This was surely their target – the other markings on the medallion were parts an altitude split into four. Ilchymis had given him a sheet of paper that morning with an ink stamp of the medallion, the crisp lines of dye far exceeding the accuracy (or lack thereof) of dessert.

"At least we get a hefty moonstone, right captain?" Aika supplied helpfully, rubbing her gloved hand up and down Vyse's back. Fina stood to his other side, mesmerized by the glow of the rock with Cupil perched above her right shoulder.

"I can't believe the only island in the Strait was destroyed by the Rain Galcian brought down," Vyse said for a second time, pounding his fist down on the rail. The girls went quiet as a drop ship departed, Lawrence and a few other crewmen descending to the island to collect the stone. The three watched with only the company of the sublunary winds whispering in their ears.

"Oh, Vyse, it'll be okay," Aika tried again, biting her lip slightly.

"Vyse, do you want to go lie down?" Fina suggested as his fingers curled around the rail. The girls flashed each other a glance of concern before he finally relaxed, laughing.

"I think I'll be okay," he chuckled. "I guess I'm just disappointed mostly because the build-up was so exciting. All that speculation for nothing but a moonstone."

"And a big one!" Aika chirped, turning to look back down at their crew as grunts and straining yells swam up from the impacted island. "I mean, to cause all that damage. . . Gosh, I hate thinking about those Rains." Fina nodded absently, another reminder of the destruction just meters away from them.

"Looks like they're all set," Vyse murmured. "Let's return to the bridge and take off. I hate being this close to Deep Sky."

"Aye _aye,_" Aika confirmed, nodding definitively.

As they turned to cross the steel plates of the _Delphinus's_ hull and enter the safety of their ship, a disturbingly loud rumble caught they're attention. The ship quaked like it was under intense cannon fire, Vyse having to grab the rail with one hand and Aika with his other to keep from falling. Fina fell into the banister and braced against the shudder, her pet spinning in the air wildly. Aika gaped speechlessly as she clutched Vyse by the coat and shook him, pointing to the north as the ship-shaking tremor seemed to intensify. Fina's closed eye popped open and followed their horrified gazes, her mouth dropping open at the sight.

"Holy hell!" Vyse shouted, watching in disbelief as parts of the Valuan continent, pieces larger than Crescent Island and some even as larges as some Yafutoman islands broke away from the mainland and fell into the depths. Thick columns of sharp rock pierced Deep Sky, leaving mammoth scars in the clouds. They plummeted into the Great Below, leaving fresh rock exposed from below the continent.

"Look out!" Aika yelled, shoving the two back toward the center of the deck, diving after them as a chunk of Valua came down and struck the starboard side. Hypnotized by the collapse of the landmass, neither Fina nor Vyse were ready to look up at the looming edge of continental shelf that shadowed them. The piece that struck the ship was small, but a hissing fissure was split in the bow of the mighty vessel. Vyse scrambled to his feet while Aika helped Fina to a quivering stance. He rushed to the comm.-tube, screaming a mayday to the bridge.

"Ship damaged! I repeat: ship damaged! Engage accelerator and turn 18 degrees to port! _Get us out of here!_" He listened hopefully, relieved when Lawrence's cool composure returned a calm 'aye aye.'

"Vyse!" Fina yelled, pointing to the sky as Aika un-shouldered her boomerang. With the continent falling apart, the beasties that made it their home were out and swarming, maddened by the destruction of their dwelling. Sighting the _Delphinus,_ a cluster of Stonebeaks swooped in on the aft. Spotting them, Fina readied a blast of magic, but Aika ordered her back to the bridge.

"I'll take care of it!" she shouted as Vyse ran up beside her.

"C'mon Fina!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand. "We'll head to Nasrad. Get rid of those Stonebeaks, Aika!" She grinned, pointing at the encroaching flock with her cobalt boomerang. As Vyse and Fina disappeared into the ship, the redhead smiled evilly. "Of course, captain."

She cracked her wrist, spinning her boomerang like a dervish. Around her, a sudden hot wind swept up, the flaps of her dress sent into a flutter, her braids dancing in the air. "Back off, creeps!" she bellowed, the turn of her weapon racing faster and faster. She and her Hydra Wing took on a rubicund glow, the world around them sinking into blackness. Finally, with a loud flash and a heavy cry, she shouted, "Alpha Storm!"

Rings of deadly fire erupted from her boomerang, capturing the flock of charging Stonebeaks and disintegrating them. As the flames died away and as her boomerang came to a stop, a shower of ash came down in front of her, the beaks of six deadly birds dropping like bricks onto the deck. Satisfied, she raced for the door, escaping to the bridge before more creatures could interfere.

-o-

Safely enclosed in Nasrad's port, hovering near the rocky harbor, the wounded _Delphinus_ sat under the shade of the reef, smoke drifting out of the long, sharp tear in its hull. Aika and Fina waited near a crate of cannonballs, both wiping liberally at the sweat that collected on their skin. They hadn't been in Nasr for more than five minutes before the heat became nearly unbearable. It was looking to be a particularly sweltering day. Aika had un-strapped her dress, showing off bare shoulders, the perspiration miraculously holding the bodice to her skin, while Fina had stripped off her leggings, limbs bare under her dress. She groaned as the sweat collected on her legs and fluttered the material to generate some air.

"I'm starting to hate Nasrad," Aika murmured. "I wish I could just _dive_ into that fountain in the main city." She started walking toward the stairs with Fina following dutifully. They climbed the sandstone and entered the tunnel, both sighing at a soft breeze coupled with much-wanted shade.

The Silvite nodded, laughing. "It's really much worse today than it was yesterday. This is unspeakable heat!" Emerging into the sunlight, their hands shot to their eyes while Cupil tried to hide behind the short shadow Aika cast.

"Honestly, can't you turn into an umbrella, or something?" she asked the little blob desperately.

"Oh, Aika, that's not fair. Cupil hates the heat, too!"

They settled under a balcony, strafing a door that just then opened, Vyse emerging into the port from the Quartermaster's shop. Fina grabbed him by the arm before he could stray. "What's up, Vyse?"

"We'll be here for a couple hours," he started, having to take off his coat when he reentered the blasted sunlight. Subtly, the girls admired, but returned their attention to his voice as he continued. "I put in an order for a patch job and some supplies – we'll have Brabham repair it properly. But they can't work until the heat comes down a little."

"But, but it's not even noon!" Aika whined. Vyse shrugged, walking toward the fountain.

"Yeah, but we can't leave. The compression would wreck the hull before we made it home, and you know smoke is an invite for pirate attacks. We could try piloting a lifeboat back, but I don't want to risk cannon fire."

"Ugh, damnit," Aika kicked a patch of sand, crossing her arms. "Well, maybe I can find something more forgiving to wear. I'm dying." Fina giggled, hooking her arm. "I second that." Cupil chirped, nuzzling in between them. Vyse took a quick splash of water to his face before turning around.

"Well I'm going to hit the bar after I debrief the crew. I want to grab a meal."

"Okay!" the girls chimed, racing up the steps and towards the merchants of Nasrad. Vyse walked back to the harbor, jumping up onto the stony banister and sliding down on worn soles. Satisfied that he'd impressed at least someone with his stunt, he quickly made tracks for his boat. He pulled off his red scarf while he was at it, tossing the bundle of clothing onto the bottom of the metal dinghy.

Soon, he was rising up to the _Delphinus,_ shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight. He trained his sight on his ship, hand over his brow, when the glass of his goggle darkened once again. He gasped slightly, if just because it caught him off guard, the blackness already gone once he'd realized it happened. He looked around as though some specter were playing tricks on him, but brushed it off and quietly piloted the tiny ship up to its mother.

Stepping into the bar was a relief known to a grand portion of the resident of Nasrad. If the people weren't trying to work their way into forgetting about the heat, they were hiding from the merciless sun in the safety of the tavern. The smells of exotic food, the hint of precious booze and the darkness – that kind of darkness that only occurred after having your eyeballs assaulted by pure sunlight for a healthy ten minutes made up what was surely a heaven on earth. Vyse enjoyed the feeling so much, he was tempted to leave the joint just so he could do it again. However, the maddening bake of desert sand and the chilling call of a glass of water both pushed and pulled him, respectively, into taking a seat. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dimly lit bar, the sight of the waving keeper a welcoming one.

Oh, and Gilder was there.

"Wait, Gilder?"

The red-coated sailor looked up from his rum, spinning on his stool to take a gander at the voice that uttered his name. "Vyse!" he cried with a grin, hopping up and extending a hand. The teenaged pirate took it and shook his fist heartily, earning a pat on the back as a few heads in the joint turned to verify what was surely a case of mistaken identity. However, as the Rogue took a seat next to his former compatriot, whispers began to circulate from ear to ear: Vyse the Legend was really in Nasrad.

"Vyse, good to see you," Gilder said warmly, raising his glass.

"Aye, you too!" the younger replied cheerfully. He told the barkeep to get him something cold, and, with the flash of a _crystali_ spell, had a tall pilsner of ice water sat before him. With a "thank you," Vyse took a long drink while Gilder took the time to finish off the last of his rum. He ordered another one, and if not for Vyse's stepping in, might have ordered a round for the entire house.

"Ah, relax, kid," Gilder chided. "After what _I _saw, I need a couple drinks." Vyse was taken slightly aback. Surely he hadn't heard of Valua's partial collapse already, had he? With a sudden pang of guilt, he wondered how Enrique was handling the restoration and if a visit was in order. There would be time for that, later.

"What did I see, you ask?" Gilder repeated, earning a slightly exasperated nod. "I'll tell you. Say, where're the girls?"

"Gilder," Vyse said, a little stern, calling him back to his attention.

"Ah, right. Well, I was sailing the South Ocean trying to shake Clara, the persistent little vixen. So I'm pulling the _Claudia_ left and right around the wind tunnels, right? Hoping that the _Primrose_ might not be able to take the stress. Well, she keeps after me but, luckily, I have a good two-hundred yards on her. I figured that once we broke into Ixa'taka, we could clear a shot toward Yafutoma or hide out in the stone barrier." As soon as his drink was in hand the liquid disappeared, causing Gilder to pause. The tone of his voice, however, told Vyse that there was something else making him consider his words. He found himself urging Gilder to continue.

"Vyse," he finally said, after what seemed like a few minutes of watching ice melt. "Ixa'taka—Horteka, really. . . It's been destroyed." Vyse reeled back, a flailing arm sending the pilsner tumbling toward the ground. The bartender grabbed it before it shattered, but the mess had already been made.

"What?" Vyse cried, a hush falling over what was once a room swelling with chit-chat. Gilder cleared his throat.

"When I was in the South Ocean, the wind currents felt stronger than usual . . . I mean, really strong. When we got to Ixa'taka . . . it was like a hurricane had swept across the landscape, blowing everything down in its path. A few survivors were there, but . . . the suddenness of it just took them and me by surprise. The air was as still as stone, Vyse. I got out of there before anything could happen to the _Claudia._"

Feeling a little sick, Vyse slowly sat down. "Centime," he muttered. "And Merida, their home. . ." Suddenly, the tavern door burst open and Clara, the Pirate in Love, entering the still room. She was smiling, but wasn't her usual jovial self.

"Sweetheart," she fluttered, taking Gilder by the arm. "Just _look_ at who I found in the market!" Behind her, Aika and Fina strode in, both wearing particularly flashy Nasrian clothing. Fina was a little reticent to show off so much skin, but Aika was happy as a clam, a sack with her clothing slung over a shoulder.

The redhead wore a two-piece pale orange outfit trimmed with fiery red hems and stitching. A skirt hung tied from her right hip and slanted jauntily, exposing an almost scandalous amount of her pelvis while dual splits revealed a large portion of her smooth and pale legs. She held it up with a black belt skewed in the opposite direction, a gleaming golden buckle squarely in the middle. Her midriff hugged her loosely, fluttering around her chest while her sleeves drooped like wilting leaves, her shoulders left bare. They dropped to her elbows, a complex geometrical pattern of intersecting crimson squares surrounding the hem. On Aika's head, an off-white flat cap sat tipped to the side, the long brim offering her eye much needed cover. Her goggles, instead, hung around her neck. She stuck with her boots, not willing to find out if any new footwear would be able to take the heat of the sands.

Fina, on the other hand, had deigned to wear something like pants, but to her slight dismay the thin material struck as something similar to what they'd seen Belleza model on their first trip to Maramba. The soft-blue satin ballooned out from her shapely hips, something like mesh floating around her skin until the ankles, met by gray moccasins. If Aika had not been so convincing, she wouldn't have to stand there with a murderously small bikini bottom covering parts better left to the imagination. She wore a matching top, arms completely wrapped in the same material before they fed into a very opaque but very skimpy top, with just her breasts completely covered. A brass ring held the Copenhagen-blue cups together, while smaller rings connected the straps that went around her neck and back. She wore two golden anklets, paired by similar, thick and flat bracelets.

It took some persistent nudging for Gilder to get Vyse's attention.

"And yeah," Gilder said to his companion, whom Clara had just then noticed. "She caught me."

"Vyse," she smiled cordially while he took her hand, finally tearing his eyes away from Aika and Fina. Despite the news he grinned, giving it a small kiss, at which she gave a merry laugh. "Now now, don't make Gilder jealous." She sighed as the other girls came up to the bar, earning a few catcalls from the back of the bar. "I suppose you know about Ixa'taka, then?"

Aika frowned, ignoring the whistles. "Wait, what did we miss? What happened?"

Gilder ordered a third round, trying his damnedest not to stare.

"Actually Clara, yes," Vyse answered "And while we're at it, we've got a story for you two, as well."

About an hour later, parties having exchanged their visions of atrocity, the group of five was seated at a table near the corner of the bar. Aika held Fina's hand, as she was still a little shaken about the news she'd heard. Quietly, the Silvite pet her resting Cupil, who was sleepily nestled in her lap. Vyse sat by her side, running a hand through his hair for a third time, while the remaining pirates sat across from the group of three.

"I still can't believe this," Aika murmured.

"Yeah, and you guys lost a treasure, to boot." Gilder received a small smack from Clara, and decided to bite his tongue for the rest of the evening. Softly, the captain of the _Primrose_ spoke.

"It'll be okay. Why don't we all head back to Crescent Island? We'll be better able to think there." Vyse began to nod but the shook his head.

"The _Del_ sustained some damage and we need to wait until it cools down for repairs."

"Why don't you take the _Claudia _with me, Vyse?" Gilder suggested.

"I'm not crazy about leaving her alone."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Vyse," Aika soothed, reaching behind Fina to rub his back. "I think Clara's right. We need to be home. Too much has happened for us to not plan our next step."

"I agree," spoke Fina, breaking her silence. "We must go back. I sense that something. . . I don't know, but _something_ terrible is happening, and it isn't over." Aika squeezed her hand as means to comfort her, but she began to tremble, unable to speak. "I wish the Elders were still here," she began, a hint of a sob in her quiet voice. "They . . . they would know. . ." Guilder and Clara exchanged a glance before excusing themselves to let the three talk.

"Fina," Vyse said softly, placing his arm around her shoulder. "Try to relax, Fina. Clara's right, we shouldn't try to do this here. We'll go back to Crescent Island and we'll work things out." Aika's arm found its way around the Silvite's trembling back and pulled the girl close.

Optimistically, she hugged, her, a subtle grin on her face. "It's not the end of the world, Fina. We already dealt with that and we made it. Whatever is happening to Arcadia, we can beat that, too." She thought she heard Fina attempting a laugh, her erratic breaths calming under the soothing touch of her friends.

"R-right," she said, wiping furtively at her eyes. "I should be stronger than this," she continued, blushing. "It just reminds me of the Rains and what Ramirez did." Quietly, she sighed. "Thanks, guys. . ." Aika gave her once last squeeze, cheek pressed against hers, pulling back with a wide grin as she got up and stretched her legs.

"You bet! Vyse, Clara and Gilder are waiting outside. What're we gonna do?"

Vyse stood, helping Fina to her feet as Aika looked at him expectantly. He winked at his girls, pulling on his coat and stuffing his ascot in his pocket. "We're off to Crescent Island, of course. We'll pick up the _Delphinus _tonight after we get a better understand of the situation. And I want to talk to Enrique. I mean, it's enough that he gave us the _Del_ after his master fleet was set up, so I think we owe him a visit, especially now." He raised his hands, Aika and Fina knowing precisely what to do.

High fives met once, then twice, and arms were raised to the sky as they chimed "aye aye!" in unison. Fina could no longer suppress a smile as they moved toward the door. "Vyse," she said, hope once again laced in her sweet voice. "And Aika. . .Thank you."

"Any time," he replied softly. "We're a team."

"The _best_ team," Aika corrected.

"And we're waiting in blasted 110-degree heat!" Gilder yelled from outside, Clara's giggle heard even over the din of their laughter. They filed out into the city, making a beeline for the port. The barkeep smiled as he watched them exit, having overheard his share of conversations; rarely, though, did he get to listen to any as inspiring as those with Vyse the Legend.

-o-

Once on their island, Fina and Aika had changed back into their traditional pirate garb, the heat of Nasr not yet reaching the cool climate in which their home sat. Docked nearby, visible from the cliff-face office, the _Claudia _and the _Primrose_ sat locked by anchors, seemingly holding hands against the slowly setting sun. Vyse watched the shadows crawl across the formidable ships, their endless chase arrested, at least for the moment. At the table, where just about a half a day ago a feast had laid scattered, Fina, Aika, Clara and Gilder sat in wait. Clara's cheek was busy nuzzling against Gilder's slightly irritated arm while the two teenaged girls were being entertained by Cupil.

The fact was that they'd only gotten back about two hours ago, a hunt for Lawrence taking much time away from their initial plan of departure. When they'd finally found him, he we quietly patrolling the merchant's square, though Aika would swear up and down that neither she, Fina nor Clara had seen him while they shopped. Despite questioning – despite _aggravated_ questioning, Lawrence didn't say much regarding his whereabouts. Though, he did volunteer to keep watch on the _Delphinus_ which put a great weight off Vyse's mind. Most of the crew had returned with Vyse aboard the _Claudia,_ while Belle, Nara and Lilly spent the voyage talking shop (that is to say, gossip gossip gossip) with Clara aboard her suggestively phallic vessel. Every now and then, Vyse swore he could hear the giggles coming from her bridge, even though he was upwind and, not to mention, encased in a practically sound-proof metal cabin.

The legendary rogue swiveled around and returned to his seat at the table. They'd already covered a grand portion of what they'd collectively seen, with the heat of Nasr never really far from anyone's mind. While Valua collapsed and while winds tore apart the Ixa'takan continents, there was something in the burning climate of Nasr that reeked of destruction.

"Alright, gang, let's keep talking. Gilder, I think it'd be good to have you stick around for a while. If something _is_ happening, I want you nearby to help take care of problems." Vyse kicked a foot onto the table while Gilder flashed him a thumbs-up, one that was nearly immediately seized by Clara.

"Now Clara," Vyse grinned. "You can hang out, too, of course." He turned his attention to Aika and Fina, who had to instruct Cupil more than once to not be so disruptive. "Tonight, we're going to take the _Vagabond_ to Nasrad and pick up the _Del_. By then, we should be loaded up on supplies and the hull should be adequately patched. Gilder, I want the _Claudia_ to follow in case we run into black pirates."

"Yeah, sure, but what's the _Vagabond?"_ Gilder asked, trying in a not-so-subtle fashion to free his hand, currently clenched tightly in the embrace of Clara's arms and breasts. He didn't mind the pillows, but a button from her bodice was beginning to dig into his skin.

"I'm surprised you don't know! When Enrique returned to Valua, we returned the _Delphinus_ to his care shortly after we recovered a ship of our own, owing to the help of my dad and a few friends. It's pretty formidable, a little longer than that _Little Jack, _outfitted with a Harpoon Cannon and some nice main weapons, too. It fights a good battle – probably as well as the _Albatross II_ or even the some of the ol' Valuan Admiral's ships. And with all the Valua weaponry we'd recovered from said ships, it was easy to make the _Vagabond _a pirate's dream.

"Of course, once Enrique had developed a master fleet based off the _Del_, he gave it back to us knowing how much we liked it. . . it was really rather nice of him." Vyse began to chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Hell, it seems like everyone came back, except for Don, of course. He's still working down in Esperanza. Looks like they couldn't stay away from adventure."

The attendants at Vyse's table shared a chuckle while Gilder looked almost baffled. "Vyse, you truly are impressive." With a smirk, the captain simply shrugged.

"Maybe. But I couldn't have done it alone."

"Just take a compliment!" Aika yelled as she threw a balled-up piece of paper at him. He batted it out of the way prepared to return fire when Clara threatened to lay down some discipline.

Obediently, Aika, Vyse (and even Fina, who'd picked up the paper that had bounced off Vyse's hand and landed in her lap) dropped their weapons. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Anyway. Tomorrow, I want to go talk to Enrique. We haven't seen him in at least a month – not since Ilchymis returned after having established a pharmacy. I'm sure he's going nuts with what's happened. Tonight, though, after retrieving the ship, I want us to get some rest. It's been a bit of a stressful day."

"Here here," Aika said, a knock on the door following on the heels of her voice. Heads turned as the squeak of hinges and the click of a lock let in the sword smith, Ryu Kan. Vyse stood up and quickly walked over to greet him.

"Sorry if I'm intruding," he said with a gravelly voice. "But, Vyse, I have a word I'd like to speak with you regarding the Velorium." Both Aika and Fina sat up, listening intently as Vyse ushered him outside to talk. He flashed the girls an innocent look, closing the door behind him. Ryu Kan patiently waited until the bolt latched.

"I'm afraid that something has gone wrong, Vyse," he plainly stated.

"Wrong?" the pirate echoed.

The elder nodded. "Indeed. . . I'm unable to smelt it. No matter how hot the fire, no matter how heavy the hammer, I haven't been able to even dent this metal. Vyse, I'm not sure it's Velorium." A little disappointed, the captain sat down on the bench.

"What could it be?" he asked.

"I haven't a clue, son. I left it in my shop, though. Perhaps Ilchymis could take a look at it? He expressed interest in watching me labor over it, so perhaps he has an answer to a question I can't even begin to fathom. It has all the properties of Velorium except I can't mold it."

Vyse slowly nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Have Ilchymis take a look. Maybe it's impure." Ryu Kan nodded, turning for the elevator.

"Indeed." As the old man walked away, Vyse stood up and cracked his back. He watched as Ryu Kan turned and waved, returning the motion with the news still fresh on his frowning face. As Ryu Kan descended, Vyse suddenly reached up to his Skyseer goggle with a frustrated grunt. However, the sword smith had disappeared before he could see Vyse strip off the glass and hold it out at arm's length. What was once opaque was now clear.

Nonplussed, he cautiously strapped it back on, testing out its magnification on a far off island. Satisfied to be able to count the leaves on a tree that could barely be seen with the naked eye, he shrugged. "Still works," he mumbled, turning to reenter the office.

Once inside, Fina suddenly stood up, quieting the other three.

"Vyse, I've made a decision."

"What do you mean?" he asked, slowly approaching the table. She swallowed, looking resolute.

"I'm going to go the Shrine Island." All eyes turned to her, a few pairs surprised by the unwavering decisiveness.

"What?" Vyse asked. "Why?"

"I think I can find some answers if I check there. Being who I am, I might be able to tap into the very livelihood of the Island. It is, after all, a Silvite creation. There might be something there for me to uncover."

"Fina, are you sure that's a good idea?" Aika cautioned, her arms draped around Cupil.

She turned her eyes down, her fingers curling at her sides. "I don't know . . . but the more we understand what's happening, the better. Right? I've been thinking about this ever since we left Nasrad. Silvites have always been in tune with their creations and I'm certain that there's something there . . . some . . . library of information left by. . ." She swallowed. Hard. "By . . . the Elders."

Vyse opened his mouth to reply, but gave it a second thought. Rarely had he seen her so sure, but to her credit, when she was sure she was usually correct. Fina stepped up to him, taking hold of his hand. "Please, Vyse, I know it's sudden but we need to know. I can take my ship and I'll be back before night's end." He was weakening, once resolute to politely stop her, now willing to send her on a mission all her own.

"I'm not sure," he finally said. "I don't want you to get hurt. Can't this wait until tomorrow?" She shook her head.

"Not really. If I can achieve what I think I want to achieve, it very much hinges on time spent. Ever hour wasted could be a key never again to be known." She squeezed his hand, her big, green eyes never breaking away from his. Even if he wanted to, he could not look to anyone else for assistance. Aika watched quietly, hands folded in front of her face. Gilder and Clara were equally taken in by the unexpected outpouring.

"Please, Vyse," she repeated, softly and melodically. He finally, albeit hesitantly, spoke.

"And you need to go alone, I take it."

"It'll work best if I'm the only one there." She bit her lip, seemingly creeping closer to his, despite being quite literally pressed into him. He relented, hesitantly nodding.

"Right now, anything sounds like a good idea. Take provisions and keep a sharp eye out."

"Oh, _Vyse_!" she squeaked, throwing her arms around his neck. Fina disengaged from the hug and took up his hand a second time. "I promise I'll be back soon. And I'll be okay. Ever since we found that third Abirik cham, Cupil has been stronger than ever before." Excitedly, she started for the door. He reached out and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her back to the table.

"Hold on," he chuckled. "We're not done yet."

"Oh," Fina said breathlessly, "of course."

She quickly took her seat and politely watched as Vyse cleared his throat. Though, no matter how still she sat, as Vyse continued to talk, the gears in her mind were already churning. There was something exhilarating about having her own mission and having earned the trust to do it solo. She was already planning what to take, how to get there and what she might encounter. Fina watched her captain talk, but could not hear the things he said. Her thoughts were busy with what lay ahead – what she _might_ have to fight, what she might learn, and the exclusivity of going on her own.

While she lost herself in the magnitude of her upcoming quest, Aika was carefully watching her. She wouldn't say a word, but when she saw Vyse grant her her wish, an inexplicable panic gripped her, one she had to fight to keep inside. It closed around her heart and chilled her spine, making her short of breath, if only for a moment. What she was concerned about, she was unsure, but the presence of anxiety was clearer now than it had ever been.

Soon, the meeting had come to a close, the group of five descending the cliff face together. Vyse escorted Clara and Gilder to their temporary quarters while Aika tailed Fina to the island's items storage. They entered the belowground port in silence, the redhead practically having to jog to keep up with her. They slid down the pole to the floor below one by one, Aika tempted numerous to call out after the Silvite. Fina had barely registered that she was being followed, her awareness wrapped tightly under the turns of her busy mind. She passed through a door freshly set into one of the caverns walls, entering a newly built storage room. She used a quick spell to light a nearby candelabrum which barely lit the small, boxy pantry, eagerly searching though shelves of regenerative spells, healing spells and a few attack spells to cover that which she still hadn't been able to master.

Aika closed the door, startling her. "Sorry," she replied, leaning against the exit.

"What's wrong?" the Silvite asked after her heart had slowed its pace.

"Nothing!"

Fina watched her for a few seconds before rooting around through a box set high on a shelf. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course."

The girls were silent then, Fina climbing and ducking, looking around impatiently for the things she'd need. She felt Aika watch her but didn't pay much attention. The lure of upcoming duty had seized her in full and even the unease that was clearly coming from the other side the room couldn't distract her. The redhead was growing restless, her leg bouncing a little as she switched support from right to left. She raised her arm and prepared to speak, but her point was killed when Fina turned away, looking around in a deep barrel for some foodstuffs.

Aika didn't really understand why she felt like interfering. It might have had to do with the role-reversal that had arrived from no where - just a few hours ago, she found herself soothing the Silvite from a panic attack. Now, however, she watched the woman displaying her strengths and felt powerless to stop her.

She trusted Fina and Vyse more than anyone in the world and should really have no problem with what was happening. The quickness was throwing, but in times like this, when it seemed like the world was virtually destroying itself, fast action was critical. It didn't mean, however, that she liked to entertain the idea of this being the last time she'd see her friend alive.

_Ridiculous,_ she thought, harshly scolding herself. Still she could not hold back. "Fina?" Aika asked.

"What is it, Aika?"

She shook her head. "I mean, I'm just. . . I don't know," she admitted with a sigh. "I'm worried, and I don't know why." Fina set down the bulging sack of supplies, stepping around a box and taking a seat on a barrel across from the girl.

"Aika, you know I'll be okay," she replied, hands pressed into the top of the wood. "I just need to do this. I need to know what's happening. _We_ need to know."

"Is this the best way?" the redhead pleaded. Even in the shadows, Fina could see the concern written across Aika's face, her eyes cast down to the floor. She slid from the barrel and stepped up to her, taking Aika's bare hand. "Fina, don't go," Aika asked, turning her head up to look at her face, to maybe stare her down.

"I have to," Fina said simply. Aika relented, knowing quite well that there were few things harder to do than change her mind. She quietly held her hand and figured that she probably was going in the best interest of the crew and possibly of Arcadia. That in mind, she finally nodded, succumbing to Fina's wish; her solidarity was strangely comforting and almost hypnotic. Fina pulled Aika into a tender embrace which was received for at least the few seconds before the door swung open.

Aika quickly unwrapped her arms from around her as Gilder peeked in. "I gotta go," she said quietly, ducking past him as he stepped out of the way. He glanced to Fina inquisitively, who was fortunately hidden deep enough in shadow that he could not see the almost hurt look on her face.

"Is the booze in here or . . . ?"

Fina smirked slightly, reaching down to grab her satchel. "Not exactly, Gilder." She extinguished the candlelight with a puff of breath from her ever-present Cupil and led the curious pirate from the storehouse and back to the surface of Crescent Island.

-o-

As dusk settled in over Nasrad, the bright moon growing more and more red as the darkness took over the sky, Lawrence, the mercenary, sat in the lifeboat with his arms folded across his chest. The hull had been temporarily repaired an hour ago, the sunlight finally retreating behind some heavy clouds. The men had worked quickly, bringing the _Delphinus_ back into operation under the watchful eye of her helmsman. As the final crates of supplies were dutifully being loaded on board by the portmen of Nasrad, Lawrence quietly dozed, his right boot propped against the rudder, the creak of the chain heard every now and then as his foot shifted. He absently traced his fingers along the sword at his side, watching, though closed eyes, that which went on around him.

Dusk in Nasrad was especially nice – the temperatures become bearable and the marina lights up with activity, the trade market using this critical time to deliver goods. The various wanders and adventurers often came to watch the setting sun through the rocky reefs. Lawrence took no interest, his back turned to the display. Of course, by now, thick sea rifts obscured the burning pinks and oranges that ignited the horizon, and once the sun sank beyond the Dark Rift, it would officially be night under the Red Moon.

Aboard the Brobdingnagian steel-plated bird, Marco was delegating the continuing string of boxes and barrels, having decided to stay with Vyse under the promise of more excitement. Of course, it wasn't that Vyse made the promise, it was just that Marco had never seen such activity on his own, and there was something to be said about the food and home he received in exchange for hard, though enthralling work. He vowed to one day return to Valua, but for now, his young heart was happily set on telling people where to put this and that.

Back outside, Lawrence shifted in his rest, thinking about the job he'd taken on. Initially, he had his heart set on leaving Vyse and his strange crew behind to return to that which he did best. However, he admittedly missed the company and despite his ability to brush off any type of third-degree, had returned to the Blue Rogues fully willing to obey captain's orders. Lacking a helmsman, Vyse happily agreed, though it wasn't unknown that there was something taxing about their relationship.

It wasn't even that Vyse didn't like him; Lawrence was a fantastic helmsman and a better swordsman. On the rare occasion that Vyse could elicit a response from the quiet brooder, Lawrence was all to willing to prove that he was a worthy sparring partner. Vyse had a scar on his arm to prove it. As good a pirate as he was, there was an almost definite (if unspoken) knowledge that Lawrence was not truly a Blue Rogue.

His eye popped open, the faint sound of a hitherto unheard rustling drawing his attention, his acute senses blocking out the loud chatter of the Nasrian workers still loading the last of five or six huge crates. He sat up slowly, tipping his head to the side while his grip tightened around a faithful sword.

A faint click made him inhale sharply, knowingly; he leapt onto the deck with his blade drawn, ready to bark orders. Before he could take two steps, a crate of gunpowder being loaded into a ship three docks down ignited and exploded, sending Lawrence sprawling to the side as a hot wind rushed over him. Marco, in a panic, ran to the bridge of the _Delphinus _to watch, horrified, as the small merchant vessel was consumed by angry, orange flames. Rich, black smoke poured like blood into the night air, clogging throats and watering eyes. The workers loading a crate of cannonballs onto the freight deck for the _Delphinus_ immediately scrambled, running to retrieve buckets of useless sand as the burning ship sank from the port. Lawrence climbed to his feet, aching, watching as the blaze spread from unloaded crate to unloaded crate. The unfortunate merchant vessel was already gone, but its fiery legacy was quickly taking over about a third of the marina.

As it crawled toward the gunner platform, a panic erupted from the city. Red and yellow bursts of light danced across the walls and undulated over the surfaces of nearby objects, stretching long, wavering shadows across the ground. Those trying desperately to put out the flames were nothing but black smudged against the awesomely bright light, the heat of the fire making them shimmer like a sickening mirage. A few more small barrels of powder went up with quick booms, echoing around the marina like gunfire. Lawrence watched helplessly as a poor Nasrian worker tried desperately to extinguish the flames that had alit on his back before someone dived on him with a blanket.

Struck from his daze, Lawrence tossed his sword back into the lifeboat, shedding his jacket before he ran for the conflagration that was threatening to ignite the entire ammunitions load for Nasrad's main cannons. He began to shout orders to anyone that would listen, telling them to retreat as he performed weak wind spells on the smaller fires that began branching away.

"Wevli!" he cried again, snuffing a string of flames that was seconds from detonating a case of Pyril cannon ammunition that would have surely been the end of anything in an eighty-meter radius. Other would-be sorcerers began to get the idea, casting ice spells typically used to keep their water cold to hamper the spreading inferno. Lawrence was panting, constant wind spells merely denting the blaze that was now scorching the tall walls and burning the very earth on which they stood. The continuous casting was taking up much of his energy and soon, he could cast no more, drained. He fell to his knees in the center of the arena, the entire left side of the port reduced to a bonfire. Marco ran up behind him, unable to cast any magic at all, to watch as the flames finally found the boxes containing Nasrad's heavy artillery.

"_Wevlen!_" a deep voice bellowed, a hurricane-force coming across the land. Lawrence ducked as a monsoon-like spray of wind and water came over him, thinking to pull Marco to the ground as well lest he be flung from the port and into the open air. The deadly swirl of blue magic knocked fleeing people to their stomachs and overturned that which was not on fire, but the swelling heat was instantly quelled, the lapping flames retreating to nothing but smoking embers; cold, wet and no longer lighting up the night sky with flickering hues of yellow and orange. The howling winds died down as suddenly as they'd struck as Lawrence cautiously rose up, dripping with chilly water. He let go of Marco's back, the trembling boy still huddled next to him. Not even a suggestion of flames remained, save for the white smoke that whispered away from what once burned and into the miasma of the sky.

Footfalls scrapped the ground as a figured emerged from the newly formed shadows, a gleaming arm hardly unnoticed by Lawrence's eyes. The heavy sailor walked up to him, looking up and down with a scowl on his eye-patched face. "You boy," he growled, "where's Vyse?"

"Drachma," Lawrence muttered, whipping his wet hair from his face. "What are you doing here?" The salty sailor spat to the side, ignoring the question.

"I see the _Delphinus_, I figured Vyse were here. I've got news to share with the boy and it's nothing to shrug at." He nodded to what was once an unspeakable, hungry disaster. "And that wasn't much of a spirit-lifter, either, so don't feed me any lines. Where is he?"

Lawrence scowled a little, instead turning his attention to a bedazzled Nasrian boy in a dirty tunic, who was standing among the workers loading their crates. "You there!" he boomed imposingly. "Get on board and check every single crate. I do _not_ want a repeat of this." The young sailor nodded and with an "aye aye," he hopped on the freight loader and climbed toward the mighty ship, a small haversack hanging from his arm. Satisfied with his authority, Lawrence turned back to Drachma, greeted charmingly with a metal claw closing around his neck.

"Don't cross me, boy," he murmured, a dark shadow across his face, his eye somehow gleaming with spite. "I'll kill yea' now, Lawrence, because I am not happy. _Where. Is. Vyse_." He released the helmsman, who took a slow breath through his freed windpipe. He didn't budge, however, surprising the old man by not simply keeling over and gasping for air. He had to admit: the mercenary was tough.

"He'll arrive shortly," he replied coolly, unfazed even by the steely grip of Drachma. "Come aboard," he muttered, reaching down the grab a still cowering Marco by the scruff of the neck. He set the boy on his feet before turning to the remaining gawking workers, one of whom had perished in the flames. "Load up this ship, _now!_" he commanded, causing them to scuttle even as the dead and wounded were hurried back into the city. "And check those fucking crates." He returned to the lifeboat with Drachma and Marco in tow, eyes narrowed against the starlight.

He knew that no accident had just occurred and that lurking shadows were present in Nasrad. Silently, his jacket on and his sword by his side, he started up the dinghy and the three ascended to the _Delphinus_ to await her captain's arrival.

To be Continued


	4. Chapter Three : United

All previous notes apply.

Chapter Three  
**"United"**

Just about an hour before, Aika and Vyse were still sitting on the fence that girded the walkway to the tip of Crescent Island. They'd seen Fina off without much flourish, reserving words that would make them feel guilty and sparing none that bade her safe passage. Vyse sort of understood why she wanted to go; after all, ever since she'd come down from the Great Silver Shrine, she'd practically been with them since the first moonstone had come down. The initial thrill she'd gotten from having her own quest was replaced by the exhilaration of working with the Blue Rogues and, most notably, with a true hero. However, as the world had begun to regain order, that yearn had come back to her and ever since the atrocities of Valua, Nasr and Ixa'taka, she'd felt nothing less than a personal obligation to find out what was happening.

Vyse had very much wanted to go with her, but he recognized that it was probably a place limited to Silvites and that he would only cause interference. Still, he couldn't help but think about it as he watched the darkened sky, trying his best to convince himself that he could see Fina returning already.

"When do you think she'll be back?" Aika asked dreamily, eyes cast upwards.

"Probably not until morning . . . the trip isn't long but who knows what she might find?" Aika laughed softly, nodding. "That place was always sort of . . . mystical. I guess it makes sense that it might still hold some answers."

"I guess," she replied faintly, not at all convinced." Vyse broke his gaze away from the heavens to look at her, squinting a little to make out her features which were hidden from the moonlight by a scattering of clouds. The fish were jumping in the pond, trying to snatch low-flying bugs that were sticking out the end of the season. Eventually, the splashes died down, and the pair of pirates was once again left to the silence of the night.

Aika sighed, not quite content with the quiet. She spoke carefully, a distant quality in her inquiry. "Why did you let her go, Vyse?"

He grinned slightly, wondering the same. "I just had to. You saw her. You saw how much it meant to her. She feels like she has a duty to do this – ever since the Rains fell, she's wanted to help as many as she could and this is probably the best way." Vyse slapped her on the back, a winsome smile on his face. "I'd do the same for you."

"Yeah?" she asked. "Good." She looked away for a moment, reaching up to pluck Vyse's hand from her back and hold it in her own. "I'm a little scared," she confessed, shortly after scooting nearer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He wordlessly nodded, covertly scratching his nose as some of her stray hairs reached up to tickle his skin.

"You've got nothing to fear, Aika. Fina will come back. We'll always be together, you know?" She looked up, head still nuzzled against him. "I don't think I'd be very happy if I didn't have both of you," he said quietly. Absent-mindedly, his fingers tightened around her hand, Aika taking it as a cue to sit up. Vyse turned to look back to see her demurely staring at him.

"What is it?" he asked. Aika's head tipped to the side a little as she very slowly leaned in, swallowing back a deep breath. A tad mesmerized, Vyse watched as she came toward him, eyes closing. His heart began to throb wildly; he could _feel_ the blood flowing through his face, brightening his cheeks. He bit back further questions and closed his eyes as well, using the hint of her sweet breath over his lips as his guide.

A faint boom, unmistakably the sound of unbridled cannon fire, or at the very least gunpowder, caused the two of them to whip around, staring out towards Nasrad. "What was that?" Aika asked, flushed.

"Sounded like an explosion," Vyse mused as he finally realized that he had clutched Aika's hand twice as hard as he intended in order to subdue his trembling. She eased her fingers from his and hopped down to the ground, walking to the edge of the island, Vyse following soon after. They listened intently, a smaller, fainter series of thunder carried on the winds from the Red Moon City. They traded worried glances, their foiled contact already forgotten, and after using communication reserved only for childhood friends, they sprinted off, Vyse racing for the hangar while Aika scrambled to alert the crew.

The _Vagabond_ was setting out.

-o-

Shortly after the _Delphinus_ was fully stocked and the loading crew (minus one) was returning to their homes, Lawrence, Marco and Drachma were patrolling the cargo bay. The helmsman was finally dry, for the most part, his hair still a little damp and matted down on his skull. Every now and then he shook his head around in order to get the wet hairs from his eyes. He handed a clipboard to Marco as they passed box after box, ordering him to control the double-check. There were 23 full-sized crates in all, each easily large enough to hold four grown men. They sat stacked to either side of the ship's hull, a narrow passage wide enough for them to file through two at a time. Drachma used his arm to wrench open the boxes one by one, while the young sailor counted out this and approximated that.

"Quite a purchase, Lawrence," Drachma grumbled as they came across a crate of cannon ammunition. "Yea' preparin' for war?" Marco crawled out of the giant box, flashing them the thumbs up, ticking off some items on his list. Drachma pushed the wooden panel closed, resealing the cargo with a quick pound from his heavy arm.

"Not quite," Lawrence curtly replied as they tallied off gear grease, machine oil, and quite a few apo waxes. "We've just been running low on supplies after a few run-ins with persistent black pirates."

"Heh. Hard to believe anyone has the nerve to attack the _Delphinus._"

Lawrence helped Marco climb into the next crate with a boost from his foot. "Ow! You jerk!" Marco cried. "There're cannonballs in here! Damnit, my head. . ." The helmsman hid a smile, turning back to Drachma as his young charge counted aloud.

"Actually, Captain Vyse typically finds time to save merchant ships from attack. We're rarely fired upon, unless we venture to the south where those floating . . . web-creatures live." Drachma visibly shuddered.

"Aye, disgusting critters." He gave Lawrence a hard look before his voice dropped, a decided change in the subject demanding a change in tone. "Boy, ye'suspect foul play, don't yea'?"

"The fire, I suppose you mean."

"Indeed."

Lawrence didn't immediately reply, pausing to help Marco climb down from a box stacked atop another. They moved on to the last ten, or so, finding the same collection of greases, waxes, kits and a few emergency provisions. As the little sailor scrambled up to inspect another crate, Lawrence spoke.

"I do. But I can't say much more than that I fear that explosion might have been targeted for the _Delphinus._" Drachma nodded, cracking his neck to the side once done.

"Agreed."

Lawrence turned to the sound of a flare bursting over the ship and quickly walked to a nearby porthole. The _Vagabond _was waiting outside, Vyse and Aika standing impatiently on its deck. Lawrence whistled to Drachma, motioning for him to follow on his way to the bridge.

"Marco, finish the inventory," he said as the two climbed a nearby ladder.

"But I can't open these boxes without Drachma's arm!" he protested, jumping when a crowbar was thrown down from above. The helmsman's voice followed:

"You have all night to get it done. Be quick about it." Marco's heart sank as he trudged toward the fallen crowbar, a dark scowl on his face. The hatch above him closed and locked, leaving him alone in the echo-chamber of a cargo bay. He picked up the heavy bar, almost weighing as much as he, and dragged it back to the remaining handful of crates. The trip down the aisle zapped a lot of his energy and he almost immediately had to sit down for lack of breath once he arrived.

"Damnit," he panted. A few moments later, after the ship had rumbled to life, he got back to his feet and picked up the dense metal and awkwardly jammed the sharp edge into the crack between the boards on the edge of the last box. He shifted his hands so that he could lever the crate open, and after the fourth full-bodied push, he finally heard the splintering crack of a loosening nail. He forced the bar in deeper, using his weight to press against the other end until the panel finally creaked open enough for him to slip his body inside, where he could then force the wood to move with his legs and back.

Nearly exhausted, he wearily checked the contents before he crawled out of the container. He wiped his sweating brow; while the heat of Nasr was slipping away, the exertion was making up for it. Not to mention that the cargo bay was great at insulating the warmth the baking sun had bestowed upon it. If the bay doors hadn't been open all day, Marco would have been roasted alive and the three crates of concussion bombs would have surely detonated.

He sank down and sighed, dropping his clipboard next to him. "There has to be a better way," he muttered, looking around the poorly-lit bay area. Across from him on the floor was a curiously smaller crowbar, one that would be much easier for him to use, he was sure. Eagerly, and unconcerned by its presence, he crawled over to pick it up, lifting his eyes to the crate before which it sat. His brow furrowed, seeing the splintered remains of the edge of the box, already torn by the bite of a crowbar's tooth. He rose to his feet slowly as he reached out to touch the ajar panel, a gap about an inch wide suddenly obvious to his adjusting eye.

He set the small crowbar down and with both hands, wrenched the crate door open, looking into the darkness of what was an empty box. He swore, as one of the Nasrian workers had surely taken who-knows-what in the way of supplies. Marco turned to collect his clipboard to try and cross-index what must have been taken when two tanned arms emerged from the blackness, pulling the younger into the crate with a muffled scream.

-o-

"We're coming upon Crescent Island," Lawrence called, Vyse looking up from the map he was studying with the old fisherman. Torn pieces of yellow parchment were spread across the table, each with a sprawl of words written across the paper. They marked Valua, Nasr, Ixa'taka and now Yafutoma, which Vyse had just recently learned had suffered its own catastrophic event. Mt. Kasai had suddenly erupted, sending a spray of water and rock into the air, boulders the size of small islands raining down and ruining about a fourth of the Yafutoman prefecture. Drachma, who was fishing some of the rarer breeds near the Dark Rift, had witnessed the scene from the soft rumble he thought was thunder to the unholy explosion of stone. Yafutoma was still functioning, thanks in a large part to the Tenkou navy and the quick thinking of Daigo.

The sight was still haunting, and coupled with the thought of similar events happening worldwide, Drachma was thrown into a foul mood. "Vyse, this is something to fear," he muttered. "Who knows what's happened that we don't know about, aye?"

"I'm starting to wonder," Vyse said acidly, rubbing his head. An aching pain had quickly developed, this fresh knowledge of destruction doing nothing to ease the tension. He stepped away from the map and up the Lawrence, deciding to take the wheel and auger the _Delphinus_ into port. Behind her, the _Claudia _and the _Vagabond_ were flanking closely, with Aika at the helm of the latter. Vyse grinned, knowing that she was all too eager to take control. Gilder had left command of his ship to his crew so that he could keep an eye on the now two-person vessel Aika was commanding.

The _Little Jack_ was currently being upgraded in Nasr, but with the wildfire, the completion was pushed back by a day. Luckily, his ship was spared by the inferno. They had decided to pick it up the next day when they would also set out for Valua's rebuilt capital.

The fleet slowly closed in on the island, spotlights on to guild them through the midnight sky. An agitated quiet had overtaken the well lit cabin, with nothing but the clicks and beeps of machinery to accompany the silent pirates. Lawrence took over the navigation console as Vyse hit the altimeter and turned a few degrees starboard, lowering the _Delphinus_ to just below the island's surface. He jumped, however, when the comm.-tube came to life with a frantic distress call.

"Mayday!" Domingo cried from the lookout tower. "Mayday! Incoming ships at seven o'clock high! Two ships! Spell Pirates! They're going after the _Vagabond!_" Vyse growled, his teeth tightly clenched as a soft yellow warning light began to spin on his console. He threw back the lever on the altitude control, the ship rocking up towards the high sky. He banked the wheel hard to port just in time to witness cannon-fire erupt from the _Claudia._

"I don't need this!" Vyse yelled, ordering Drachma and Lawrence to battle stations. "Where's Marco?" he demanded, looking back to Lawrence who was busy sighting up the twelve-inch secondary cannon. "Lawrence?"

"Down in the cargo bay, captain," he looked back to Drachma who was setting up their Moon Cannon, prepared to blow the engines clear off first ship. It had already cast a silencing spell on the _Vagabond, _leaving Gilder and Aika to rely on conventional weapons.

"Lawrence, take the wheel," Vyse ordered, running back to take over his station. "They'll need an _incremus_ and they can't cast." Lawrence dutifully took the wheel as Vyse chanted quietly, fueling one of their magic cannons with the spell's charge. As themighty ship swept down upon the exchange of missiles and torpedoes, Vyse launched his spell on the _Vagabond._ The ship flashed bright red for a moment before returning to its normal color.

"Direct hit," Drachma grumbled. "Now, let's give these spell pirates a taste of their own medicine." He grinned savagely, preparing two cannons with _sylenis_. "Preparing to launch!" he bellowed, striking the console. He stumbled as the cabin shook, however, a destructive _crystalen_ shell colliding with the forward hull. Two more shells were coming in fast as the ship dived toward the noisy battle scene, both decidedly magical. Hissing, Vyse looked back to his helmsman with teeth tightly clenched.

"Evasive action, damnit! We've got a damaged hull! Any more hits like that and we could go down!" Lawrence spun the wheel portside, barrel rolling the ship as the behemoth dropped like a stone between the _Claudia _and the _Vagabond. _The wake of the rushing _Delphinus_ caused both vessels to sway and keel, but they kept steady against the savage cannon fire. The two shells passed harmlessly overhead, striking a nearby uninhabited island.

The _Claudia _unleashed a vicious combination of torpedoes, secondary and main cannon fire, quickly sending one of the spell ships down, trailing a column of smoke as it sank below the clouds. The _Delphinus _circled up and around, creeping up behind the final pirate ship as it released a second wave of _crystalen_ shells towards the _Vagabond_.

"Drachma!" Vyse ordered as he readied the Moonstone cannon.

"On it, captain!" With the last of his magical reserves tapped, Drachma prepared a final spell shot, closing his eyes as he chanted for blue magic. As the bow of the ship dropped open like the jaw of a hungry beast, a massive forward cannon emerging from within, the old salt fired a _wevles_ spell into the open air. The spiral of winds forced the _Claudia _and the _Vagabond_ to either side of the shot, their sails taken up by the typhoon. The spell pirate's cannon fire fell between them, disappearing into Deep Sky.

The _Delphinus _rumbled, shaking slightly as a purple light, like an aurora, began to twist like a helix around the giant cannon's barrel. Rings of energy swam up the shaft, collecting in a growing sphere of magnificent light. The illumination in the cabin dimmed to almost nothing when Vyse gave the order to fire, a shot of magic powered by the moons leaving the cannon, arching toward the spell pirate's doomed vessel.

The beam struck the ship from behind, demolishing its engines and the aft decks. The forward decks bulged as the shaft of light passed through, splitting and cracking the irons that held the hull together. The entire vessel was blown into splinters and shrapnel in less than a handful of seconds, fiery debris raining down from the sky. As the intense blinding light died away, the cabin lights came back and the cannon retreated to within the massive hull, the bow of the ship closing its satisfied maw.

"Take escort speed, Lawrence," Vyse said after the normal hum of the ship resumed. He and Drachma wordlessly raced out to the deck of the _Delphinus, _boots pounding on diamond-plate steel as she came up between the_ Claudia _and the shaken _Vagabond._ Aika and Gilder were already waiting on her deck when Drachma and Vyse emerged. Each pair ran to their respective rails, hailing each other with short waves.

"What the hell was that!" Aika screamed, her braided hair having come lose from the stress of battle. Gilder was panting a little, as well. "They came out of nowhere!"

"We'll return to the Island to discuss this," Vyse yelled back, pointing to their nearby home. The two nodded and ran back toward their bridge while Drachma did the same. Vyse stood still on the vibrating deck for just a few moments longer, watching the _Vagabond_ carefully. He gave his strange suspicion a second thought before he realized he was being ridiculous and returned to the cabin of the _Delphinus._

-o-

The reunited pirate troupe emerged from Crescent Island's underground cavern, Drachma practically demanding to pay a visit to the tavern. Gilder and Aika agreed, a hot meal just the ticket to sooth their collective souls. Polly, seeing them arrive, opened the door even before Vyse had a chance to reach for the knob, ushering the group into what was already a cabin alive with delicious scents. Inside, they found Brabham and Izmael enjoying a game of cards, with Robinson playing kibitz. Well, Izmael was enjoying it – he had a stack of gold piled high next to him and the same could not be said for the engineer. While Aika, Gilder and Drachma took a much needed seat, the captain strutted over to his two favorite builders.

"Hey Vyse," Brabham wheezed, "I know. She still works great, don't she?"

"Funny," he replied, taking a peek at his horrible hand. "We got a break in the hull earlier today and, although I had it patched at Nasrad, I ripped it open when I used to Moonstone cannon." The lanky engineer tossed his cards down, folding.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Every word."

"Those damn-fool Red Mooners don't know what they're doing."

Vyse chose to ignore the comment, and instead got right to the details. "We were hit by some falling rocks and the cannon was just too much for her. Think you can patch her up by week's end?" Brabham ran his gloved hand through his beard while Izmael dealt another round, this time throwing Vyse into the game with three cards. "Oh, no, I'm not really—"

"C'mon, Captain!" Izmael chuckled. "You look like you need a break anyway. Five card stud." Vyse shrugged and picked up his hand, glancing back and forth between the two. Brabham nodded after some thoughtful betting.

"I'll take a look at her, Vyse. The ol' girl was due for reinforcement, anyway."

"Glad to hear it," Vyse murmured, scratching his chin. He fished around in his coat pocket for some spare gold, tossing two coins down, taking a card. "I call." He looked up to see that Aika was now across from him, watching the game carefully. Gilder and Drachma had slipped into a discussion about pitting their respective ships against each other and were officially in their own world where Harpoon Cannon met the maneuverability of the _Claudia._ Vyse shrugged as the bet came back to him.

He paused. The pot had grown considerably and Brabham was betting at least ten gold. A quick peek down at his cards told Vyse to fold – there was nothing quite as depressing as the off suit six, two, jack and nine he held. And it continued like that: for at least fifteen minutes Vyse was folding after the ante, with Aika occasionally trying to steal a glance at his cards. She had joined in shortly after Vyse had and was soon out of pocket money. Dejected, she sat enviously watching Izmael's pile of coins grow. The builder laughed heartily after raking in another medium swell of coins, winking at Vyse.

"Shouldn't quit your day job, captain." The pirate shrugged, picking up the newly dealt cards. Vyse kept quiet, throwing in from a seemingly endless pocket of coins. Brabham tirelessly raised his cohort, trying desperately to bluff his way in despite numerous tells. Izmael turned to Vyse with a smoking grin, expecting the fold. At least the captain was honest player.

"I call," he said plainly, eyes focused on his hand. He collected a card, studying it carefully.

"Oh ho!" Izmael exclaimed. "He speaks!" He pitched in another handful of coins, double that Vyse had. "I see that and raise as well."

"Blast it!" Brabham yelled, throwing his cards away. "Fold." Vyse chuckled quietly to himself and coolly stood.

"Just a second." Vyse stood up and shed his coat, overturning it above the table. A glittering shower of gold fell from his pockets, cascading across the wood, a few spilling onto the floor. Aika's eyes literally sparkled as she watched him shake it, a final piece dropping from the cloth and clinking on the small mountain. "I raise." He took his final card, and after a quick glance, folded them up into his palm.

Izmael's confidence, however, could not be shaken. "Is that all you have? Because I can keep going." Vyse smiled. "What?" He turned to Aika and grabbed the boomerang from her shoulder. He set it on the table with a crash before she snatched it back with protest.

"No way!" she cried.

"Come on, Aika, what're you afraid of?"

"You're horrible at cards!" she shouted, hugging her boomerang close to her chest, her face slightly obscured by its sky-blue edge. "Think again, buddy." Vyse sighed, reaching down beside him.

"Alright, fine."

"Wait, Vyse, don't do it—"

A slender weapon pieced the top of the table where it seemed to glow in the yellow light. Izmael rubbed his ear to make sure the ringing he heard wasn't just in his head. "My sword." The builder watched with a careful study while Brabham simply whistled. "I should think that this rivals your entire stack of gold, yeah?" Vyse winked, waving his cards back and forth. "What's it going to be?"

"I'm in," the builder replied immediately, the gleam on that sword too tempting to pass up. While Vyse may love his blade, he was playing lousily the whole night. And if he thought that he could out-bluff Izmael, he was due for a harsh wake up. The builder threw his cards down, revealing a painful house, kings full of jacks.

Vyse winced, groaning a little. At that moment, Izmael felt the pang of guilt and the joy of victory do battle. His sympathy, however, also suddenly kicked in. "Vyse, I won't really take your sword . . . you can foot me some gold later, or something."

Vyse shook his head.

"No, no, I'll be taking my sword, anyway." He turned his hand around, revealing a straight flush to the jack in spades. Izmael's mouth dropped open, his cigar miraculously clinging to his lip as Vyse stood, pulling the Vorlik blade up from the table. He sheathed the mighty sword and then grabbed two handfuls of gold from the pot, just about as much as he'd bet in total.

"The rest is yours, Iz," he said cheerfully, pulling his jacket back on and pocketing the coins. Even with two handfuls, Aika couldn't detect the rattle of money. She jumped up, flabbergasted.

"Vyse, how did you do that?" He shrugged, grinning while Izmael shook his head in wonder. "How did you go from folding hand after hand to_ that?_" Aika re-secured her boomerang and crossed her arms. Vyse sat back down to a waiting meal while Gilder and Drachma were nursing empty plates as they'd already consumed theirs.

"Sometimes you get lucky," Vyse said honestly, digging into his cooling dinner. Aika, not exactly convinced, gave up and did the same while Izmael and Brabham resumed their friendly game. For some reason, Brabham's luck had turned around.

Dinner was soon over, and all that remained was the talk of the recent pirate attack. "Perhaps they didn't see the _Del_," Gilder suggested, tipping a tumbler of rum toward Aika. She sipped from her own small glass of liquor, nodding faintly. "I mean, maybe they only saw the _Claudia_ and the _Vagabond,_ which would explain why they were stupid enough to open fire."

"Yeah, could be," Aika slowly agreed. "But, then again, they didn't turn tail and run once they spotted her – they fired on the _Del,_ too." She took another swig and set her glass aside. "_Maybe_ they had some other motive."

"Like what?" Gilder asked.

"Like distraction," Vyse murmured, his eyes focusing off in the distance. "Maybe they were just trying to tie us up and ended up giving their lives for it?" He stood up suddenly, pointing to Gilder. "Have you been on the _Claudia? _ Do you think you could have been boarded?"

"Unlikely," he said. "My men said she was clean when they pulled her next to the _Vagabond_. No stowaways here." Vyse sat back down, mouth curled in a frown.

"Damn," he muttered. "I really find it hard to believe that they'd just attack for the sake of attacking. Especially at night. There's something more here." He turned to Drachma, who had been silent since he'd finished his meal. "Any thoughts, cap'n?" He looked up, his single eye glaring at him.

"Sorry, boy, I've got not one idea. All I can think about is that fire back in Nasrad. I gets the feeling that _yer_ ship was the true target, and that these bastards who attacked us may have been the culprits. Perhaps they were just that cocky." He pulled a flask out from his shirt, tipping it back. "Maybe this isn't want yea' should be investing yer time into. Yea've got bigger problems, I wager."

"Maybe he's right, Vyse," Aika muttered, curious as to what he was drinking. "It _might _have simply been a pair of pirate ships too stupid to know any better." Quietly, Vyse turned this over in his head. He was a legend, damnit – people feared and respected him, and everything about that attack, including that it was very sudden, was declaring organization. To him, it reeked of distraction. Yet, the island was safe and aside from Fina, no one AWOL.

_Except the Primrose!_ he thought, audibly gasping. "Where's Clara!" Gilder spat his rum to the side, coughing as Vyse jumped up again.

"What!"

"The _Primrose _was missing and we didn't sail with her!" He spun and pointed to Robinson, Izmael and Brabham. "Check this island _twice!_" The three jumped up and scrambled for the door. "Yes sir!" they cried, disappearing into the night. Aika and Gilder both hopped to their feet while Drachma slowly rose, his body unable to perform so acrobatically.

"I can't believe we didn't realize it," Aika said distantly. She saw Vyse's face darken and she laid a reassuring hand on his arm. "Relax. You know she can fight – if they were hijacked we can find her." Vyse absently nodded as he went for the door.

"Right. Gilder, we're sailing the _Claudia._ She's the fastest one we've got right now." Gilder raced after him, grabbing him by the arm. Vyse spun, a little bewildered to be halted.

"Hold on, we're sailing tonight?"

Aika came up by his other side. "We need to wait, captain." He took a deep breath, relaxing against the grip of the pirates by his sides. They released him once he was still, a temporary moment of panic subdued by rational thought.

"You're right. We don't even have a direction," he said calmly, blowing some hair from his face. "Let's at least wait until the Island is searched." He returned to his seat with Aika and Gilder following, sitting down just as the door opened. Vyse's attention was caught by Robinson who rushed in ahead of the builder and the engineer. They came it with a body between them, bruised and a little scratched her, shirt torn and missing a shoe.

"Belle!" Aika gasped as they placed the unconscious girl on the unoccupied table. She moaned in her delirium, blood trickling down her forehead from a wound on her hairline.

Vyse turned to Aika with a nod as they gathered around her. "I can't perform any more magic today. It's up to you, Aika."

"I got it," she confirmed, clearing her throat with a cough. She gently guided Drachma and Brabham from her path extending her arms to the side, fingers turned up. She turned a faint green, passing the glow onto Belle with the utterance of a _sacri_ spell. The gash on her head sealed up almost instantly, as the scratches on her arms evaporated away. She had a bruise on her exposed stomach that slowly melted away, turning from an ugly purple to her skin's normal ivory.

"Why not Riselem?" Vyse asked, but Aika shook her head.

"Sorry, I'm out. I used a lot of repair-magic on the _Vagabond_ once that silencing spell wore off." Vyse sighed, turning to Robinson.

"What did you find?"

"Her lifeboat had just landed when we'd reached the pond. She was the only one inside, but she's at least alive." Drachma growled a little, clenching his metal hand. "We saw the boat come in from the west, but it might have just been swept into the currents."

"At least we have our bearing now," Drachma said gruffly. "We should investigate after this young'in' becomes conscious, Vyse."

"That shouldn't take to long," a voice said as the door creaked open once more. Drachma turned to watch Ilchymis come up, setting a chuck of Velorium down on the table at which they once dined. Vyse glanced at it curiously before returning his attention to Belle. The chemist met Aika with a smile, kindly asking her to step aside as he stretched out his hands to perform the revival spell.

White light formed overhead, bathing the entire group of onlookers in its resuscitating glow. Belle shifted noisily, her eyes fluttering softly before she opened them wide. However, she quickly nodded off, not speaking even two words. Ilchymis grinned despite this, turning to Izmael and Brabham. "If you wouldn't mind, could you get her to the crew quarters? She'll need a little rest before she can talk." They nodded quietly, carefully picking her up and carting her out the door. Robinson followed, if just because he wanted to feel helpful.

The chemist stepped back and retrieved the Velorium he'd brought in, setting it down in Belle's place. "Ilchymis," Vyse asked, "what's going on? Did you see what happened to the _Primrose?_"

"Unfortunately, no," he said, shaking his head. "I only just now saw them carry the poor girl in here. I was down in my laboratory with this." He tapped the metal, earning intrigued noises from both Gilder and Drachma.

"That's quite a chunk of Velorium," Gilder whistled. "Love to have me a gun made out of that." Drachma chuckled a little. "Oh, not before your new arm, of course." The old sailor laughed again.

"_Of course._"

"Actually, neither," Ilchymis said simply, placing his hand over the rock roughly the size of a loaf of stone ground bread. "This is not Velorium."

"It isn't?" both Gilder and Aika asked, a disappointment heard in their unison.

"It isn't," Ilchymis parroted, asking them to gather and observe as his hand turned yellow, a glow taking over both his arm and that which he was touching. "Vyse, I'm not sure what this means," he said quietly, "but watch."

The outside world seems to darken as Ilchymis closed his eyes, the glow from his hand racing up his arm. By now, the entire side of his body had adopted the strange radiance, while the pseudo-Velorium began to turn an impossibly-bright white. Vyse shielded his eyes while Aika had to almost look away from the light. Suddenly, red cigarette burns began to tear though the shining luminescence, expanding and eating away at the incandescent shell. The Velorium seemed to melt away as a blackness previously unfathomed peeked out from underneath. Soon, the light was overtaken by this sheer darkness, overpowered and defeated. Vyse's hand dropped from his face as he stared at what sat – no, what hovered – on the table; a sight he was sure he'd never actually see.

"Vyse, your goggle," Aika whispered, drawing the attention of Gilder and Drachma. It had become opaque again, but not for the mere second that made him think he was going crazy. Instead, the blackness lasted for as long as Ilchymis's magic did, the glass only returning to normal when he lifted his hand off the long, double-ended spiked crystal that was floating above the grainy table top.

The four turned their heads back down to watch as it slowly rotated, spinning like a compass needle, until one silvery tip pointed at Vyse. He backed away slightly, the eerie black glow that now took over the table both bright and flat as the same time. A razor thin line of reflected whiteness cut along the top, while the crystal itself seemed more like unglazed ceramic. It was matte, transparent and shimmering all that the same time, both its own shadow and source of disturbingly shadowy light all at once.

"The black moon crystal," Gilder finally muttered, hypnotized.

Vyse nodded carefully watching as it pointed to him unquestioningly. He was tempted to reach out; to touch it and pick it up, but was equally convinced that it was not to be played with. Though, before much else could be done, the door crashed open once again, making Aika practically scream. Eyes turned as a figure, virtually soaked in blood and sullied with dirt, tumbled into the tavern and fell unconscious to the stone floor.

To be Continued.


End file.
